The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 155

hr~C'I (Gen. xvii. 6, 16; xxxv. 11; Nnm. xxiv. 17). Provision lrnd been made in• the la"· of Moses for the choice of a king, and directions gi\'cll concerning the manner in which he should govern (Dent. xvii. 15-20); and, more recently, intima- tions had been afforded that the time for his election was at hand (eh. ii. 10, 35). His appointment wns only in apparent contradiction to the fundamental principle of the theocracy, that" God wns their King," for it was not intended to supersede the Di,·ine authority; he \\"as to be the viceroy or deputy of Jehovah, as the judges hac:J been; and he might be better adapted than they to the present condition of the people. Nevertheless, the transition was in one aspect from a higher to a lower order of things, from a direct to a mediate theocracy; it tended to set the invisible Ruler in the b~ckground, ai~d it was lraught with imminent peril. 3. The sinfulness of their desire consisted m the sort of king they sought and the spirit they manifested ; whereby they, in effect, rejected the Lord as their King. "If they had simply desired a king to be given them according to the law of God (Deut. xvii. 15), that ~hould govern them in equity, and such an one as feared God, they then had not offended ; but now they do ask a king of a preposterous desire only that they might be like unto other nations; )·et God, liaving purposed to erect among his people a kingly throne, and to raise unto them a king of whose seed Messiah should come, took this- occasion to accomplish his purpose, so turning their evil and inordinate desire unto a good end, as God can convert the evil thoughts and actions of men to serve for his 0\171 glory" (Willet). 4. Their desire was fulfilled, and the transition peaceably effected through the ag·ency of Samuel, who yielded to their request because he per- c<>ired the good which was hidden therein, and that in the providence of God the time \ms come for a king to be appointed (eh. ix. 16). "Israel was in the position of a boat which has been borne down in a swift stream into the very suction of the rapids. The best would be that she should put back; but if it be too late for this, then the best is that there should be in her a strong arm and a steady eye to keep her head straight. And thus it was with Israel. She plunged down the fall madly, rashly, wickedly, but under Samuel's control steadily" (Robertson). "He had to guide the difficult transition of Israel's political organisation from a Divinely-ruled republic into a regularly-constituted monarchy." "To mediate between the old and the new was, indeed, the peculiar position of Samuel. He was at once the last of tlie judges, and the inaugurator of the first of the kings. Take the whole of the 11arrative together-take the story first of his opposition, and then of his acqui- escence, in the establishment of the monarchy. Both together bring us to a just impression of the double aspect in which he appears; of the two-sided sympathy which enabled him to unite together the passing and the coming epoch" (Stanle;r). His calmness, moderation, breadth of view, practical adaptation, and lofty devotion to God and his people were herein exhibited in an eminent degree. " Samuel is one of the few great men in l,iatory who, in critical time~, by sheer force of character and invincible energy terminate the previous form of a great existing system-at first against their own will, but afterwards, wh<'n convinced of the necessity, with all the force and eagerness of their nature; and who then initiate a better form with the Lappiest results, though a111idst much personal suffering and persecution" (Ewald, • History ').-D. Vns. 4--22. (HAMAH.)-The popular desire for a king. "Make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (ver. 5). This narrative teaches UB- I. THAT THE POPULAR DESIRE, ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE PLAUSIBLE, IS OFTEN REPRE- HENSIBLE (vers. 4, 5). 1. Its alleged grounds were insufficient. (!) The old age of Samuel. But due respect to him and gratitude for his past services shoul~ have prevented their desire to set him aside; and the prosperity that attended Ins rule <luring many years should have led them to wish for its continuance as long as pos- sible. They were inconsiderate, forgetful, unthankful, hasty, and unjust. (~) 'J'.he misgovernment of bis sons. But they might have been removed from ~he1~ ofl!ce without thE' office itself being abolished. It is better to try to-mend al) mstitut10n tl,an to destroy it. (3) To be like other nations. But Israel was designed to ha u11like tl,em, and superior to tl,ern (Levit. xx. 26); and most of the miseriPs they had ;;11ffered arose from confon11ity to their ways. The wi~h to be like otlter.- i~ a fruitful CR, VIII. 1-22.] 'fIIE FIIlST DOOK OF SAMUEL. 153