1 Samuel 8:5

“And said unto him, behold, thou art old, etc.] (see <090801>1 Samuel 8:1), his age was no reproach to him, nor was it becoming them to upbraid him with it; nor was it a reason why he should be removed from his office, for it did not disqualify him for it; but rather, having gained by age experience, was more fit for it, though he might not be able to ride his circuits as formerly: and thy sons walk not in thy ways; whom he had made judges; this is a better reason than the former for what is after requested; and had they only besought them to remove him from their places, and rested content with that, it would have been well enough; but what they were solicitous for, and always had an…”

“A king - Their desires exceed their reasons, which extended no farther than to the removal of Samuel's sons from their places, and the procuring some other just: and prudent assistance to Samuel's age. Nor was the grant of their desire a remedy for their disease, but rather an aggravation of it. For the sons of their king were likely to he as corrupt as Samuel's sons and, if they were, would not be so easily removed. Like other nations - That is, as most of the nations about us have. But there was not the like reason; because God had separated them from all other nations, and cautioned them against the imitation of their examples, and had taken them into his own immediate care and…”

“8:5 you are now old, and your sons are not like you: Judges tended to be local leaders; kings, as national leaders, were more capable of uniting a whole nation in times of crisis (8:20). However, a spiritual problem underlay the request for a king (8:7-8). • Other nations, such as Egypt and Sumer, had monarchies for almost 2,000 years before Samuel’s time.”

“now make: Sa1 8:6-8, Sa1 8:19, Sa1 8:20, Sa1 12:17; Num 23:9; Deu 17:14, Deu 17:15; Hos 13:10, Hos 13:11; Act 13:21 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 8:6”