Israel Demands a King

When Samuel reached old age, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. His firstborn son was named Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah; they served as judges in Beersheba (1 Samuel 8:2). However, these sons did not follow the example of their father. They turned aside after dishonest gain, accepted bribes, and perverted justice (1 Samuel 8:3). Consequently, all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah to address the leadership of the nation.

The elders stated to Samuel that he was old and his sons were not walking in his ways. They requested that he appoint a king to judge them like all the other nations (1 Samuel 8:5). This request displeased Samuel, and he prayed to the Lord. The Lord instructed Samuel to heed the voice of the people in all that they said, clarifying that the people had not rejected Samuel, but had rejected the Lord from reigning over them (1 Samuel 8:7). The Lord further noted that this behavior was consistent with their actions since the day they were brought out of Egypt.

Following divine instruction, Samuel solemnly warned the people about the behavior of the king who would reign over them. He explained that a king would take their sons for his chariots and their daughters to be perfumers and cooks (1 Samuel 8:13). The text states the king would take the best of their fields, vineyards, and olive yards, and a tenth of their grain and sheep. Samuel warned that the people would cry out because of the king they chose, but the Lord would not hear them in that day. Despite this warning, the people refused to obey Samuel's voice and insisted on having a king so they could be like other nations (1 Samuel 8:19). Samuel repeated their words to the Lord, who told him to give them a king.