Deuteronomy 17:14

“When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, etc.] The land of Canaan: and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein; be entirely in the possession of it, and settled in it; it seems to denote some time of continuance in it, as it was, before they thought of setting a king over them, about which are the following instructions: and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are round about me; which was what would and did lead them to such a thought and resolution; observing that the neighbouring nations had kings over them, they were desirous of being like them as to the form of their civil government, and have a king as they had.”

“THE ELECTION AND DUTY OF A KING. (Deu 17:14-20) When thou . . . shalt say, I will set a king over me--In the following passage Moses prophetically announces a revolution which should occur at a later period in the national history of Israel. No sanction or recommendation was indicated; on the contrary, when the popular clamor had effected that constitutional change on the theocracy by the appointment of a king, the divine disapproval was expressed in the most unequivocal terms (Sa1 8:7). Permission at length was granted, God reserving to Himself the nomination of the family and the person who should be elevated to the regal dignity (Sa1 9:15; Sa1 10:24; Sa1 16:12; Ch1 28:4). In short, Moses…”

“No encouragement is given to the desire, natural in an Oriental people, for monarchical government; but neither is such desire blamed, as appears from the fact that conditions are immediately laid down upon which it may be satisfied. Compare the marginal references. return to 'Top of Page'”

“When thou: Deu 7:1, Deu 12:9, Deu 12:10, Deu 18:9, Deu 26:1, Deu 26:9; Lev 14:34; Jos 1:13 I will set: Sa1 8:5-7, Sa1 8:19, Sa1 8:20, Sa1 12:19 Deuteronomy 17:15”

“Choice and Right of the King. - Deu 17:14, Deu 17:15. If Israel, when dwelling in the land which was given it by the Lord for a possession, should wish to appoint a king, like all the nations round about, it was to appoint the man whom Jehovah its God should choose, and that from among its brethren, i.e., from its own people, not a foreigner or non-Israelite. The earthly kingdom in Israel was not opposed to the theocracy, i.e., to the rule of Jehovah as king over the people of His possession, provided no one was made king but the person whom Jehovah should choose. The appointment of a king is not commanded, like the institution of judges ( Deu 16:18), because Israel could exist under the…”