1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22a
Chapter 8
They told him: “You are already old, and your sons are not following your ways. Give us a king to rule over us as in all the other nations.”
Samuel was very displeased with what they said: “Give us a king to rule us,” and he prayed to the Lord.
And the Lord told him: “Give to these people all they ask for.
So Samuel answered those who were asking him for a king.
He told them all that the Lord said to him: “Look, these will be the demands of your king: he will take your sons and assign them to his chariot and his horses and have them run before his chariot.
Some he will assign as commanders over a thousand men and commanders over fifty. Others will till his ground and reap his harvest, make his implements of war and the equipment for his chariots.
He will take your daughters as well to prepare perfumes, to cook and to bake for him.
He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards and give them to his officials.
He will take a tenth portion of your grain and vineyards and give it to his officers and servants.
He will take your menservants and maidservants, the best of your cattle and your asses for his own work.
He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
When these things happen, you will cry out because of the king you chose for yourselves. But by then, the Lord will not answer you.”
The people paid no attention to all that Samuel said. They insisted: “No! We want a king to govern us as in all the other nations.
Our king shall govern us, lead us, and go ahead of us in our battles.”
Upon hearing all that his people said, Samuel repeated it to the Lord.
The Lord told him: “Listen to them and give them a king.” Samuel told the Israelites: “Go back, all of you, to your own cities.”
Commentaries
The Israelites Request a King – The Monarchy.
The institution of judges, represented at its final stage by Samuel, starts to decline and eventually disappears. The reasons for this decline are briefly summarized: Samuel appointed his sons as judges, but they did not follow his example. Focused only on their interests, they accepted bribes and ruled unfairly (1-3).
The book presents two conflicting views of the monarchical system: Samuel opposes the people’s request, saying that Israel must have the Lord as its only king and rely on Him. He warns that the monarchy will turn against the people. Samuel explains what having a king means: slavery, not freedom. But is Samuel exaggerating? A human mediator does not replace God’s sovereignty. The king is supposed to defend the people from the arrogance of the powerful, guarantee justice, and protect them in war. This supports the opposing view. The book shows that Samuel anointed him, the people approved him, and the king began his mission of salvation well.
To explain the presence of the two opposing views in the book, some suggest a timeline. During Solomon’s era, the positive version, favoring David, was written, expanding the “pre-monarchical” awareness seen at the end of Judges. As opposition among various prophets to different kings grew stronger, the hostile or critical perspective started to develop.