“Listen to their voice,” the LORD said to Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Everyone must go back to his city.”
We have here the starting of a matter perfectly new and surprising, which was the setting up of kingly government in Israel. Perhaps the thing had been often talked of among them by those that were given to change and affected that which looked great. But we do not find that it was ever till now publicly proposed and debated.
Commenting on 1 Samuel 8:4-22
And the Lord said to Samuel,.... an audible voice, or by an impulse upon his mind: hearken unto their voice, and make them a king; since they will have a king, let them have one, and let them know that they shall have one: and Samuel said unto the men of Israel: the elders of the people that addressed him on this occasion, Sa1 8:4.
Hearken unto their voice - Let them have what they desire, and let them abide the consequences. Go ye every man unto his city - It seems the elders of the people had tarried all this time with Samuel, and when he had received his ultimate answer from God, he told them of it and dismissed them. On this account we may observe: 1.