Why Israel wanted – needed – a King Part 1

In 1 Samuel 8:5-6, the leaders of the 12 tribes come to Samuel and ask him to find them a KING.

Now Samuel does so twice: first King Saul and thereafter, once Saul has sinned in the eyes of God, David as his replacement.

But Samuel does this RELUNCTANTLY and raises all kinds of reasons why this is a very bad idea.

First, when asked by the tribes in Ch. 8:  5-6  and then again in ch.10: 19 after he found Saul and already secretly anointed him king (1 Samuel 10: 1) and a third time once all of Israel had accepted Saul as king after his great victory over Nahash the Ammonite (1 Samuel ch 11: 14-15) -- all of Ch 12.

 

So what is going on?

Why do the 12 tribes who had lived as separate entities in a loose confederation for over 350 years suddenly want a king?

And why is Samuel so upset and reluctant to do so: to find them a divinely chosen king – Saul?

 

Samuel’s reluctance is made clear three (3) separate times.

He repeatedly reminds the people that God the Eternal is alone to be their king and ruler – and not some human being.

 

1^st time Ch 8: 6-22

Here, Samuel goes into great length and with many arguments to try and disway the tribes.

He does not speak in his own voice but transmits the objections God the Eternal raises:

Namely, a king will take your sons for his standing army (and chariots) and to manufacture weapons of war. He will make them to work his fields for free (=labour tax).  He will also take your daughters to be his cooks and bakers. And he will seize whatever lands he likes to give to his own servants. He will require 1/10 of your seed, crops, wine and flocks to feed his servants and will even seize your male and female slaves to do his work.

 

tax yו  וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר, בְּעֵינֵי שְׁמוּאֵל, כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ, תְּנָה-לָּנוּ מֶלֶךְ לְשָׁפְטֵנוּ; וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל שְׁמוּאֵל, אֶל-יְהוָה.	6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said: 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
ז  וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל, שְׁמַע בְּקוֹל הָעָם, לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ:  כִּי לֹא אֹתְךָ מָאָסוּ, כִּי-אֹתִי מָאֲסוּ מִמְּלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם.	7 And the LORD said unto Samuel: 'Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them.
ח  כְּכָל-הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר-עָשׂוּ, מִיּוֹם הַעֲלֹתִי אוֹתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד-הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, וַיַּעַזְבֻנִי, וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים--כֵּן הֵמָּה עֹשִׂים, גַּם-לָךְ.	8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken Me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
ט  וְעַתָּה, שְׁמַע בְּקוֹלָם:  אַךְ, כִּי-הָעֵד תָּעִיד בָּהֶם, וְהִגַּדְתָּ לָהֶם, מִשְׁפַּט הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יִמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם.	9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice; howbeit thou shalt earnestly forewarn them, and shalt declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.'
י  וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, אֵת כָּל-דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה, אֶל-הָעָם, הַשֹּׁאֲלִים מֵאִתּוֹ מֶלֶךְ.	10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
יא  וַיֹּאמֶר--זֶה יִהְיֶה מִשְׁפַּט הַמֶּלֶךְ, אֲשֶׁר יִמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיכֶם:  אֶת-בְּנֵיכֶם יִקָּח, וְשָׂם לוֹ בְּמֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁיו, וְרָצוּ, לִפְנֵי מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ.	11 And he said: 'This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots.
יב  וְלָשׂוּם לוֹ, שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים; וְלַחֲרֹשׁ חֲרִישׁוֹ וְלִקְצֹר קְצִירוֹ, וְלַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלֵי-מִלְחַמְתּוֹ וּכְלֵי רִכְבּוֹ.	12 And he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
יג  וְאֶת-בְּנוֹתֵיכֶם, יִקָּח, לְרַקָּחוֹת וּלְטַבָּחוֹת, וּלְאֹפוֹת.	13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
יד  וְאֶת-שְׂדוֹתֵיכֶם וְאֶת-כַּרְמֵיכֶם וְזֵיתֵיכֶם, הַטּוֹבִים--יִקָּח; וְנָתַן, לַעֲבָדָיו.	14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
טו  וְזַרְעֵיכֶם וְכַרְמֵיכֶם, יַעְשֹׂר; וְנָתַן לְסָרִיסָיו, וְלַעֲבָדָיו.	15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
טז  וְאֶת-עַבְדֵיכֶם וְאֶת-שִׁפְחוֹתֵיכֶם וְאֶת-בַּחוּרֵיכֶם הַטּוֹבִים, וְאֶת-חֲמוֹרֵיכֶם--יִקָּח; וְעָשָׂה, לִמְלַאכְתּוֹ.	16 And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
יז  צֹאנְכֶם, יַעְשֹׂר; וְאַתֶּם, תִּהְיוּ-לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים.	17 He will take the tenth of your flocks; and ye shall be his servants.
יח  וּזְעַקְתֶּם, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, מִלִּפְנֵי מַלְכְּכֶם, אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתֶּם לָכֶם; וְלֹא-יַעֲנֶה יְהוָה אֶתְכֶם, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא.	18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.'
יט  וַיְמָאֲנוּ הָעָם, לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל שְׁמוּאֵל; וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹּא, כִּי אִם-מֶלֶךְ יִהְיֶה עָלֵינוּ.	19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said: 'Nay; but there shall be a king over us;
כ  וְהָיִינוּ גַם-אֲנַחְנוּ, כְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם; וּשְׁפָטָנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ וְיָצָא לְפָנֵינוּ, וְנִלְחַם אֶת-מִלְחֲמֹתֵנוּ.	20 that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.'
כא  וַיִּשְׁמַע שְׁמוּאֵל, אֵת כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הָעָם; וַיְדַבְּרֵם, בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוָה.	21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them in the ears of the LORD.
כב  וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמַע בְּקוֹלָם, וְהִמְלַכְתָּ לָהֶם מֶלֶךְ; וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְכוּ אִישׁ לְעִירוֹ.	22 And the LORD said to Samuel: 'Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.' And Samuel s

 

In brief, a king will take away your children and even your slaves for his own purposes and to your detriment.  And he will seize whatever land he wants and tax you 1/10 of your hard earned crops, wine   and flocks.

So why added such extra expenses and family hardships to your lives?

2^nd time   Ch 11:17-19

At the rigged lottery Samuel arranges to ‘divinely select’ a first king (although he has already annotated Saul secretly in 1 Samuel 10:1), Samuel speaks up and says:

 

יז  וַיַּצְעֵק שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-הָעָם, אֶל-יְהוָה הַמִּצְפָּה.	17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpah.
יח  וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל,     כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָנֹכִי הֶעֱלֵיתִי אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִמִּצְרָיִם; וָאַצִּיל אֶתְכֶם, מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם, וּמִיַּד כָּל-הַמַּמְלָכוֹת, הַלֹּחֲצִים אֶתְכֶם.	18 And he said unto the children of Israel:    'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.
יט  וְאַתֶּם הַיּוֹם מְאַסְתֶּם אֶת-אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר-הוּא מוֹשִׁיעַ לָכֶם מִכָּל-רָעוֹתֵיכֶם וְצָרֹתֵיכֶם, וַתֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ, כִּי-מֶלֶךְ תָּשִׂים עָלֵינוּ....	19 But ye have this day rejected your God, who Himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto Him: Nay, but set a king over us. …

 

That is, having a human king – even if God agrees to this and divinely choses that king - is nevertheless a rejection of God the Eternal as the sovereign over Israel.

 

3^rd time  Ch. 12

ה  וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם עֵד יְהוָה בָּכֶם, וְעֵד מְשִׁיחוֹ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה--כִּי לֹא מְצָאתֶם בְּיָדִי, מְאוּמָה; וַיֹּאמֶר, עֵד.  {פ}	5 And he said unto them: 'The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand.' And they said: 'He is witness.' {P}
ו  וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, אֶל-הָעָם:  יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת-אַהֲרֹן, וַאֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת-אֲבֹתֵיכֶם, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.	6 And Samuel said unto the people: 'It is the LORD that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
ז  וְעַתָּה, הִתְיַצְּבוּ וְאִשָּׁפְטָה אִתְּכֶם--לִפְנֵי יְהוָה:  אֵת כָּל-צִדְקוֹת יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם וְאֶת-אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם.	7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which He did to you and to your fathers.
ח  כַּאֲשֶׁר-בָּא יַעֲקֹב, מִצְרָיִם--וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, אֶל-יְהוָה, וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוָה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת-אַהֲרֹן וַיּוֹצִיאוּ אֶת-אֲבֹתֵיכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם, וַיֹּשִׁבוּם בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.	8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, then your fathers cried unto the LORD, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and they were made to dwell in this place.
ט  וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ, אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם; וַיִּמְכֹּר אֹתָם בְּיַד סִיסְרָא שַׂר-צְבָא חָצוֹר וּבְיַד-פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וּבְיַד מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב, וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ, בָּם.	9 But they forgot the LORD their God, and He gave them over into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
י  וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֶל-יְהוָה, ויאמר (וַיֹּאמְרוּ) חָטָאנוּ, כִּי עָזַבְנוּ אֶת-יְהוָה, וַנַּעֲבֹד אֶת-הַבְּעָלִים וְאֶת-הָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת; וְעַתָּה, הַצִּילֵנוּ מִיַּד אֹיְבֵינוּ--וְנַעַבְדֶךָּ.	10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve Thee.
יא  וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוָה אֶת-יְרֻבַּעַל וְאֶת-בְּדָן, וְאֶת-יִפְתָּח וְאֶת-שְׁמוּאֵל; וַיַּצֵּל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד אֹיְבֵיכֶם, מִסָּבִיב, וַתֵּשְׁבוּ, בֶּטַח.	11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt in safety.
יב  וַתִּרְאוּ, כִּי-נָחָשׁ מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי-עַמּוֹן בָּא עֲלֵיכֶם, וַתֹּאמְרוּ לִי, לֹא כִּי-מֶלֶךְ יִמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ:  וַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, מַלְכְּכֶם.	12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when the LORD your God was your king.
יג  וְעַתָּה, הִנֵּה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתֶּם--אֲשֶׁר שְׁאֶלְתֶּם; וְהִנֵּה נָתַן יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם, מֶלֶךְ.	13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for; and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
יד  אִם-תִּירְאוּ אֶת-יְהוָה, וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתוֹ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּקוֹלוֹ, וְלֹא תַמְרוּ, אֶת-פִּי יְהוָה--וִהְיִתֶם גַּם-אַתֶּם, וְגַם-הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ עֲלֵיכֶם, אַחַר, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.	14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve Him, and hearken unto His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of the LORD your God--;
טו  וְאִם-לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹל יְהוָה, וּמְרִיתֶם אֶת-פִּי יְהוָה--וְהָיְתָה יַד-יְהוָה בָּכֶם, וּבַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם.	15 but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, and against your fathers.

 

And it concludes:

יח  וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-יְהוָה, וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה קֹלֹת וּמָטָר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא; וַיִּירָא כָל-הָעָם מְאֹד אֶת-יְהוָה, וְאֶת-שְׁמוּאֵל.	18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
יט  וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָל-הָעָם אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל, הִתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד-עֲבָדֶיךָ אֶל-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ--וְאַל-נָמוּת:  כִּי-יָסַפְנוּ עַל-כָּל-חַטֹּאתֵינוּ רָעָה, לִשְׁאֹל לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ.	19 And all the people said unto Samuel: 'Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.'
כ  וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-הָעָם, אַל-תִּירָאוּ--אַתֶּם עֲשִׂיתֶם, אֵת כָּל-הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת; אַךְ, אַל-תָּסוּרוּ מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהוָה, וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֶת-יְהוָה, בְּכָל-לְבַבְכֶם.	20 And Samuel said unto the people: 'Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
כא  וְלֹא, תָּסוּרוּ:  כִּי אַחֲרֵי הַתֹּהוּ, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יוֹעִילוּ וְלֹא יַצִּילוּ--כִּי-תֹהוּ הֵמָּה.	21 and turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.
כב  כִּי לֹא-יִטֹּשׁ יְהוָה, אֶת-עַמּוֹ--בַּעֲבוּר, שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל:  כִּי הוֹאִיל יְהוָה, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶתְכֶם לוֹ לְעָם.	22 For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; because it hath pleased the LORD to make you a people unto Himself.
כג  גַּם אָנֹכִי, חָלִילָה לִּי מֵחֲטֹא לַיהוָה--מֵחֲדֹל, לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם; וְהוֹרֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם, בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטּוֹבָה וְהַיְשָׁרָה.	23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
כד  אַךְ יְראוּ אֶת-יְהוָה, וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת--בְּכָל-לְבַבְכֶם:  כִּי רְאוּ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-הִגְדִּל עִמָּכֶם.	24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things He hath done for you.
כה  וְאִם-הָרֵעַ, תָּרֵעוּ--גַּם-אַתֶּם גַּם-מַלְכְּכֶם, תִּסָּפוּ.	25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be swept away, both ye and your king.'

 

 

This again argues that God alone should be ‘king’ over Israel as he had been its protectors and saviour over the generations.

And it ends with a new warning that having a king may well lead the people astray and result in severe Divine punishment.

 

So, three times Samuel advises against having a king over Israel. 

1.     1. It is a rejection of the full sovereignty of God the Eternal as the nation’s king.

2.      2. It opens up new opportunities for the nation to be led astray from God by a          human ruler – leading to divine punishment.  

3.     3, And, from the very start, Samuel, as the spokesperson of God, warns them of         the human cost to their families, seized lands and taxes that all occur               with any king.

 

And in spite of all these arguments, the people are determined to have a king – “like all the other nations” (1 Samuel 8: 5).

And God agrees and sends Samuel to find ther divinely chosen Saul, and thereafter, David.

 

Why want – need – a king?

1 Samuel gives two (2) reasons as to why the tribes were adamant that a king was needed.

The first, surprisingly, is to have a fair and incorruptible supreme judge in legal matters.

Ch 8

ד  וַיִּתְקַבְּצוּ, כֹּל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל, הָרָמָתָה.			4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah.
ה  וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו, הִנֵּה אַתָּה זָקַנְתָּ, וּבָנֶיךָ, לֹא הָלְכוּ בִּדְרָכֶיךָ; עַתָּה, שִׂימָה-לָּנוּ מֶלֶךְ לְשָׁפְטֵנוּ--כְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם.			5 And they said unto him: 'Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.'

1^st Role

The very first time the tribes ask for a king is to do justice.

Samuel is very old and his two sons whom he made legal case judges are considered corrupt and unfair.

So the people want a king like all other nations: to be the ultimate supreme court for cases.

A king would be fair and incorruptible (as he is already the wealthiest) when deciding major disputes.

That all kings and emperors have had this judicial role is well known to history and a key element of the concept of “the divine right of kings”.

I.e., kings are chosen by God, and as such have divine guidance in making legal court decisions.

Solomon’s famous case with the two women who claimed the same newborn is one such instance (1 Kings 3:16-27) and ends with verse 28 stating:

 

כח  וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶת-הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֲשֶׁר שָׁפַט הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַיִּרְאוּ, מִפְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ:  כִּי רָאוּ, כִּי-חָכְמַת אֱלֹהִים בְּקִרְבּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט.

28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.

 

 It is also the attribute lauded by the Queen of Sheba when visiting Solomon in         2 Chronicles 9:8:

 

ח  יְהִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בָּרוּךְ, אֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ בְּךָ לְתִתְּךָ עַל-כִּסְאוֹ לְמֶלֶךְ, לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ:  בְּאַהֲבַת אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְהַעֲמִידוֹ לְעוֹלָם, וַיִּתֶּנְךָ עֲלֵיהֶם לְמֶלֶךְ, לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה.

8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on His throne, to be king for the LORD thy God; because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made He thee king over them, to do justice and righteousness.'

 

2^nd Role

There was only one other role of a king that the people wanted – needed – as stated in 1 Samuel ch 8.

After telling them of all the burdens a king would add to their families: in human costs and re: taxes, the leaders of the 12 tribes are still insistent. 

יט  וַיְמָאֲנוּ הָעָם, לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל שְׁמוּאֵל; וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹּא, כִּי אִם-מֶלֶךְ יִהְיֶה עָלֵינוּ.	19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said: 'Nay; but there shall be a king over us;
כ  וְהָיִינוּ גַם-אֲנַחְנוּ, כְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם; וּשְׁפָטָנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ וְיָצָא לְפָנֵינוּ, וְנִלְחַם אֶת-מִלְחֲמֹתֵנוּ.	20 that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.'

Saul finally became accepted as king of all the tribes when he proved himself as a military leader in the victory over Nahash the Ammonite in chapter 11.

On hearing of Nahash’s threat and the danger to an Israelite city, Saul – with Divine inspiration (1 Samuel 11: 6) cleverly spread the word to all the tribes and rouses them to combine into a large military force for battle.  He then came up with a plan of attack that defeated the enemy totally (1 Samuel 11:8).

So impressed were all the people, that everyone now agreed Saul should be their king and went off to re-consecrate him as king at Gilgal (1 Ssamuel 11:15).

 

So, the 12 tribes after over 350 years of semi-independence finally decided they needed a king.

A king to ensure justice and fairness in major court cases, and to be available 24/7 if and when an invading force needed to be instantly repelled and destroyed.

No more waiting for a just Deborah or Samuel to arise.  No more hoping for a hero like Gideon or Jephthah the Gileadite to rouse an army. No more hoping for a superman hero like Shamgar the son of Anath or Samson to appear.

In brief, a king is needed: to do justice every day, and to offer instant military protection whenever a danger arises.

That, at least, is the theory.