Israel Demands a King
Samuel appoints his sons as judges, but they do not walk in his ways. Their corruption in Beersheba creates the crisis that sets the chapter in motion.
W1hen Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
Israel’s elders gather before Samuel and ask for a king to judge them like the other nations. Their request joins concern about Samuel’s sons to a desire to resemble surrounding peoples.
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5“Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”
Samuel is displeased and prays, and the LORD tells him the people are rejecting divine kingship, not merely Samuel. He links their request to their long history of forsaking Him, yet tells Samuel to listen and warn them about the kind of king they are choosing.
6But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king. 8Just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9Now listen to their voice; but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”