And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
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 ye shall cry out in that day, because of your king,.... His power and pride, his oppression and tyranny, his heavy exactions, and intolerable yoke, and yet not be able to free themselves from them; all that they could do would be only to cry out under them as grievously distressed, and not knowing how to help themselves; and which would be the more...
And 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. (g) Because you do not repent for your sins, but because you long for your afflictions, into which you cast yourselves willingly.