Study notes
When Israel was changing to a monarchy (rule by kings), neither God (1 Samuel 8:7–9) nor Samuel (1 Samuel 12:1–25) liked the people's request for a king. Saul, the first king (1 Samuel 9–11), did not succeed in his role (1 Samuel 13–31) and proved Samuel's warnings true (see 1 Samuel 8:10–18; compare 1 Samuel 16:1–13).
Samuel’s sons weren’t faithful to God like Samuel was. The Israelites didn’t want them as leaders. The Israelites no longer wanted to be led by judges. They no longer wanted God to be their only Ruler. Instead, they wanted a human being to be their king.
The people groups around the Israelites were led by kings. The Israelites wanted to be like those people groups. They thought that a human king would solve their problems. The Israelites' problem was that the people groups around them were treating them badly. This was one of the covenant curses.
It happened because the Israelites weren’t faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant. It happened because they didn’t fully drive out the Canaanites. The Israelites thought a human king would help them win battles over those people groups. That is how they hoped to enjoy the covenant blessing of peace.
Winning battles was more important to them than serving God with all their heart. This made Samuel very sad. It also made God very sad. God allowed his people (God’s people) to have a king. Samuel explained clearly how the king should act. Those rules are recorded in Deuteronomy 17:14–20.
Saul started out as a humble king. He was a farmer and was willing to be used by the Holy Spirit. All the Israelites accepted him. They accepted him after he rescued the town of Jabesh Gilead from the king of Ammon.
Samuel made it clear to the Israelites that they had refused to accept God as their King. They were sad that they had done this and recognised that they had sinned. Samuel encouraged them to follow God no matter what happened. The people and the king were to live according to God’s ways.
Samuel’s two oldest sons served as judges in Beersheba, which is 80.5 kilometers (50 miles) south of their father's home.
his sons did not walk in his ways: They were more like Eli’s two sons (1 Samuel 2:12–17). Their corruption was a main reason the time of the judges ended.
you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways: Judges were usually local leaders. But kings, as national leaders, could unite the entire nation during crises (1 Samuel 8:20). However, a spiritual issue was behind the request for a king (1 Samuel 8:7–8).
Other nations, like Egypt and Sumer, were ruled by kings for nearly 2,000 years before Samuel’s time.
Samuel was unhappy. He likely felt personally rejected (1 Samuel 8:7).
Listen to the voice of the people: God rarely told a prophet to listen to the misguided people. The people's desires and God's will would align with King David (see 2 Samuel 7:8–17).
they have rejected Me: By rejecting judges, they were actually rejecting God's rule and authority (see also 1 Samuel 12:1–17).
serving other gods: The people’s request for a king showed a lack of trust in God. They wanted a human ruler to give them security instead of relying on God as their king. Because of this, Israel’s monarchy was a divine concession (something God allowed), not a divine gift. Any king or human institution becomes idolatrous when people trust it more than they trust God.
These verses explain why being a king has downsides. Each sentence describes something the king would take. A king would seize things, not just protect them.
The people wanted a king to lead them, but Samuel warned that the king would control them. They asked for a leader but got a ruler.
The king would take both people and their belongings.
People had to give a tenth of their harvest as a sacred donation to support God's temple and its workers (Deuteronomy 12:6, 17–18; 14:22–29; 26:12–15). The king also required another tenth, which was a heavy burden due to the unpredictable nature of farming.
you yourselves will become his slaves: By asking for a king, the people whose ancestors were once slaves in Egypt risked becoming enslaved again (see 1 Kings 12:1 20).
The people would plead for relief, just like their ancestors did in Egypt under a harsh ruler (see Exodus 3:7).
God had set Israel apart from other nations (Leviticus 20:26; Numbers 23:9). By wanting a king and wishing to be like other nations, they were rejecting God's plan (see 1 Samuel 8:5–7; compare Deuteronomy 17:14).
to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”: Kings had three main roles:
waging wars, both offensive and defensive,
enforcing laws, and
ensuring economic stability.
repeated them in the hearing of the LORD: A prophet's role included presenting the people's concerns to God (see Numbers 27:5).
Appoint a king for them: See study note on 1 Samuel 8:7; compare with Romans 1:24–26.
Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources