“It Grew and Waxed Old and Began to Decay”

Bryan Richards

The chronology of this allegory is crucial to a proper interpretation. To give a sense for what time period is being spoken of we will take clues from the several instances in the chapter when the time period can be fairly well determined. The rest of the chronology must be extrapolated from known history and scriptural clues. This passage, describing when the house of Israel begins to decay, could be interpreted to refer to the time when Israel decided to establish a king. Note the interaction between Samuel and the Lord:

'But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.' (1 Sam 8:6-8)

Because of this interaction, Saul was chosen as a king over Israel (c. 1095 BC). Saul, of course, was followed by king David and king Solomon. After Solomon's reign, the children of Israel began to wax grosser in their iniquities, especially among the northern ten tribes.

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