1 Samuel 8:17-22

17 He will take a tenth of your flocks. In addition, you will be his servants.

18 "When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. The LORD will not answer you when that day comes."

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They said, "No, we want a king!

20 Then we, too, will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, lead us out [to war], and fight our battles."

21 When Samuel heard everything the people had to say, he reported it privately to the LORD.

22 The LORD told him, "Listen to them, and give them a king." Then Samuel told the people of Israel, "Go [back] to your own cities."

1 Samuel 8:17-22 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.