The Origin of Israel's Kings
Israel Asks for a King
[1] Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. [2] The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. [3] But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
[4] Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, [5] and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
[6] But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. [7] And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. [8] According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. [9] Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
[10] So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. [11] And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. [12] He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. [13] He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. [14] And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. [15] He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. [16] And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. [17] He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. [18] And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”
[19] Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, [20] that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
[21] And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. [22] So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.”
And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”
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In the days of Israel when judges oversaw them, the elders came to Samuel requesting a king to rule over them like all the other nations had. This displeased Samuel so he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord instructed him to do what the people wanted because they had rejected Him as their king. However, God instructed Samuel to warn Israel what the king who will reign over them will do:
• "He will take your sons and appoint
them for his own chariots and to be his
horsemen, and some will run before his
chariots."
• "He will appoint captains over his
thousands and captains over his fifties,
will set some to plow his ground and
reap his harvest, and some to make his
weapons of war and equipment for his
chariots."
• "He will take your daughters to be
perfumers, cooks, and bakers."
• "And he will take the best of your fields,
your vineyards, and your olive groves,
and give them to his servants."
• "He will take a tenth of your grain and
your vintage, and give it to his officers
and servants."
• "And he will take your male servants,
your female servants, your finest young
men, and your donkeys, and put them to
his work."
• "He will take a tenth of your sheep."
• "And you will be his servants."
• "And you will cry out in that day because
of your king whom you have chosen for
yourselves, and the Lord will not hear
you in that day.”
Under God's kingship, Israel was free from government oppression and having to serve a man's agenda. However, under a king, Israel would be required to serve him and give their food, their livestock, and even their people to the service of the king. On top of that, he would take from them what was theirs, to use for his own service. They would be his servants.
Then He gave them the most severe warning of all of what would happen if they reject Him as their king and decide to have a man rule over them as their king instead:
"And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”
But Israel refused to listen to Samuel and chose to have a king rule over them so they could be like the other nations around them. So the Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to them and give them a king."
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