They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 5. Judge us, in a different manner from what had been hitherto done. Bible.—By a crying ingratitude, they reject the government of a wise old man, who had rendered them the most signal services. Perhaps the power of Naas, king of the Ammonites, might afford them some pretext for acting as they did. Calmet.—As all, and so forth They seem to prefer the dominion of kings, who ruled over the surrounding barbarous nations as they thought proper, ( Bible.) before one who should be tied down to observe the laws, prescribed by God, ( Menochius.) in case the Israelites should wish to have a king. Deuteronomy 17. Bible.—In the East, monarchy was the most ancient form of government. Tacit. Hist. iv. Just. i. “Principio, imperium penes Reges erat.”