1 Samuel 8:4-9 can be interpreted considering the historical background (shortly before 1051 before the BD (the year of accession to the kingdom of Saul)). All the elders of Israel gathered in Rama to ask the prophet to appoint a king over them: “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah” (Kirkpatrick 1880, Samuel 8:4). The impetus for this was the unrighteous judging of the sons of Samuel – Joel and Abiy – whom the father put as judges in Bathsheba.
Those, however, did not follow Samuel’s path by taking bribes and judging incorrectly: “And said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways” (Kirkpatrick 1880, Samuel 8:5). The interpretation here is that people were afraid of the return of those days preceding the reign of Samuel, whom the Lord Himself had raised and placed above them. They felt that the king’s power would be enough to protect them from different threats of abuse by secondary authorities.
The request of the elders upset Samuel because he recognized that there is only one king of Israel – the God who delivered him from Egyptian slavery: “But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” (Kirkpatrick 1880, Samuel 8:6). By this time, the Jewish rule had taken on a theocratic character, where laws and decrees of a religious, social, and state character originated from God. As a king, he was also the commander of his people’s armed forces. The tabernacle, as the site of the God’s unique presence, was also the abode of the Jewish people’s sovereign. It is where the will of the heavenly and earthly ruler was revealed to the people in all of his religious, familial, social, and state life’s most important issues.
It becomes evident why Jehovah’s devoted guard Samuel despised the people’s desire, where we can interpret the Jews’ betrayal of their original King. Furthermore, the Jews manifested themselves by requesting a ruler: “like other (i.e., pagan) peoples.” (Kirkpatrick 1880, Samuel 8:5). God authorized Samuel to fulfill the wish of the elders, determining that the fulfillment of it did not conflict with the Jewish form of Epiphany. However, this can also be seen as that the elders rejected Samuel. The elders’ rejection of Samuel also reflected their rejection of God’s authority, for God was the one who sent qualified leaders, including Samuel.
In the end, God persuaded Samuel to listen to people: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. (Kirkpatrick, 1880, Samuel 8:7). This can be interpreted in the light of the fact that tribes and clans of Israel’s elders had reason to be concerned. They noticed that Samuel had become elderly and had no one to take his place in the fight against the Philistines.
The sins of Elijah’s sons wreaked havoc on Israel, and now the sins of Samuel’s sons are doing even more havoc. He also notices that Samuel should warn them about their choice, but not to coerce: “Now then, listen to their voice; only, you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” (Kirkpatrick, 1880, Samuel 8:9). Their misdeeds were well-known in both situations, and society had the right to complain, and Samuel had to listen to them.
References
Kirkpatrick, A. F. (Ed.). (1880). The First Book of Samuel (Vol. 10). The University Press.