1 Samuel 8:9

“Now therefore hearken unto their voice, etc.] And appoint them a king as they desire: howbeit, yet protest solemnly unto them; not against the thing itself, which was permitted, but against the evil of their request, as to the unseasonable time, ill manner, and unjustifiable reason, in and for which it was made; the Lord would have Samuel lay before them their evil in requesting it, and the evils that would follow upon it to them, and faithfully represent them to them, that they might be left without excuse, and have none to blame but themselves when they, should come upon them: and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them: or the right or judgment f153; not a legal right…”

“Ye protest - That, if it be possible, thou mayst yet prevent their sin and misery. The manner - That is, of the kings which they desire like the kings of other nations. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 8:11”

“hearken unto: or, obey howbeit: etc. or, notwithstanding when thou hast solemnly protested against them, then thou shalt shew, etc. Eze 3:18 the manner: Sa1 8:11-18, Sa1 2:13, Sa1 10:25, Sa1 14:52; Eze 45:7, Eze 45:8, Eze 46:18 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 8:11”

“In order to show them wherein they were wrong, Samuel was instructed to bear witness against them, by proclaiming the right of the king who would rule over them. בּהם תּעיד העד neither means "warn them earnestly" (De Wette), nor "explain and solemnly expound to them" (Thenius). בּ העיד means to bear witness, or give testimony against a person, i.e., to point out to him his wrong. The following words, והגּדתּוגו, are to be understood as explanatory, in the sense of "by proclaiming to them." "The manner (mishpat) of the king" is the right or prerogative which the king would claim, namely, such a king as was possessed by all the other nations, and such an one as Israel desired in the place of…”