1 Samuel 8:22

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hear thou their voices, and ordain thou a king upon them. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Each man go into his city (Now everyone go home).

1 Samuel 8:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 8:22

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, ( 1 Samuel 8:4 )

go ye every man unto his city;
signifying they might return in peace, and be assured their request would be granted, and a king would be appointed in a short time, and which they might report to their fellow citizens; and they might expect to hear from him quickly, as soon as he had instructions from the Lord who should be their king, which right he had reserved to himself; and therefore in the mean while they might rest contented that they would have one in a little time.

1 Samuel 8:22 In-Context

20 and (then) we also shall be as all folks (and then we shall be like all the other nations), and our king shall deem us, and he shall go out before us, and he shall fight our battles for us.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spake them in the ears of the Lord.

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hear thou their voices, and ordain thou a king upon them. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Each man go into his city (Now everyone go home).