1 Samuel 8:5-7

5 and said to him, "Look, you have grown old, and your sons are not following your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."

6 Sh'mu'el was not pleased to hear them say, "Give us a king to judge us"; so he prayed to ADONAI.

7 ADONAI said to Sh'mu'el, "Listen to the people, to everything they say to you; for it is not you they are rejecting; they are rejecting me; they don't want me to be king over them.

1 Samuel 8:5-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 8

This chapter relates, how that Samuel being old, and his sons behaving ill, the people desired to have a king set over them, 1Sa 8:1-5, which case Samuel laid before the Lord, and he was directed by him to yield to the people's desire, but at the same time to set before them all the disadvantages and ill consequences that would arise from thence, which he did, 1Sa 8:6-18, but they insisting upon it, nevertheless, he gave them reason to expect that their request would be granted, 1Sa 8:19-22.