King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 10 notes
1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
Samuel was a wise leader, though he was displeased with their request and he knew that theocracy was better than kingship.
He still took the people's request to the Lord.
7And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
GOD here sounds more empathetic to their demands. He knew this time would come. He had said so himself earlier. They rejected the theocracy. They wanted a kind of continuity they could count on without relying on God, even if that meant the descendants of the king did not fear God.
A thing which they knew would definitely happen. I believe God entertained this new experiment because he himself had a kingdom agenda, where his son would rule as king forever in righteousness, so he let them be.
9Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
God was so wise in his dealings with Israel.
They wanted something that God himself was not pleased with, because it would not help them.
God himself knew it was not the better option, and knew that they had made up their minds, yet he suggested that they should be told the truth even though it would be rejected.
10And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
It is interesting, but up to this point in Israel's history they did not know the way of kings in practice. Despite the harshness of having a government, the people still wanted it.
In my opinion, having a king or kingly tribe to rule them did nothing better.
At least when a judge ruled, he was righteous and a man of God.
But how can you guarantee that every seed of the royal line will be righteous or fear God?
12And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
Was the tenth not for the Lord? Well, the Lord would still take his tenth as well as the king. But the king would not tithe the Lord, but vice versa. The two systems would now run concurrently.
But for the longest time, theocracy and the kingship would clash every now and again.
16And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
Ah, taxes right there. God knew how corrupt this system was, and no wonder he was against it.
God knew the ways of kings, that Israel, who were God's children and not under any form of bondage both physically and economically, warned them of the dangers of a king.
But their mind was made up; they were God's free men but were willing to come under bondage.
1 Corinthians 7:22 KJV
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
Hmm, they were warned. As is the case even today, all people cry out against their governments.
Such madness running the state.
19Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
They were offered the flesh and the spirit, and they chose the flesh.
They didn't want miracles, signs and wonders? They wanted the predictability of human systems they could control, even if it failed in bringing them victory.
In a way, this was quiet rebellion, in that even if they displeased the LORD and rebelled against him - they and their king - they could still go out to war without waiting on the Lord. Of course, the good kings relied on God and his prophets, and they were victorious.
21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.