Chapter 34—Samuel and Saul
The children of Israel were a highly-favored people. God had
brought them from Egyptian bondage and acknowledge them as his
own peculiar treasure. Moses said, “What nation is there so great, who
hath God so nigh them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we
call upon him for?”
Samuel had judged Israel from his youth. He had been a righteous
and impartial judge, faithful in all his work. He was becoming old,
and the people saw that his sons did not follow his footsteps. Although
they were not vile, like the children of Eli, yet they were dishonest and
double-minded. While they aided their father in his laborious work,
their love of reward led them to favor the cause of the unrighteous.
The Hebrews demanded a king of Samuel, like the nations around
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them. By preferring a despotic monarch to the wise and mild govern-
ment of God himself, by the jurisdiction of his prophets, they showed
a great want of faith in God, and confidence in his providence to raise
them up rulers to lead and govern them. The children of Israel being
peculiarly the people of God, their form of government was essentially
different from all the nations around them. God had given them statutes
and laws, and had chosen their rulers for them, and these leaders the
people were to obey in the Lord. In all cases of difficulty and great
perplexity, God, was to be inquired of. Their demand for a king was
a rebellious departure from God, their special leader. He knew that
a king would not be best for his chosen people. They would render
to an earthly monarch that honor that was due to God alone. And if
they had a king, whose heart was lifted up and not right with God, he
would lead them away from him, and cause them to rebel against him.
The Lord knew that no one could occupy the position of king, and
receive the honors usually given to a king, without becoming exalted,
and their ways seem right in their own eyes, while at the same time
they were sinning against God. At the word of a king innocent persons
would be made to suffer, while the most unworthy would be exalted,
unless he continually trusted in God, and received wisdom from him.
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