The account of his kingship, however, is deeply ambivalent. three key responsibilities for Israel to fulfill in the Promised Land were to Jeremiah 3:1-5 Jeremiah wrote this over 400 years after Israel's rejection of God as King and about 840 years after making the covenant at Mount Sinai. Israel had been a rebellious people throughout their history, constantly rejecting Yahweh and serving false gods. When God tells Samuel, Israel’s judge, to anoint a king for Israel according to their demands with the words “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Sam 8:7), many Bible readers and students assume that the institution of kingship was theologically disallowed for Israel. But there shall be a king over us, 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” (1 Samuel 8:19-20). or Mao, they might cause the deaths of multiple millions of their subjects. God’s words reveal that the primary problem was Israel, not Samuel. conclusion is supported by the mainstream of Jewish tradition. 16-17 list some things that a king of Israel should not do. do is specified in verses 18-20: "When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to … The law of God was higher than any man, and the king was expected to respect and obey it. On the one hand, God blessed the monarchy, and he even chose a kingly line from which to ap- pear in human form. a blessing for Abraham's descendants. (NET translates this “policies” and KJV “manner”). nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants." their divine king. God continued, “According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving others gods, so they are also doing to you” (1 Samuel 8:8). When the Israelites wanted a king like other nations had, they were rejecting their unique, set-apart position as God… and answerable to no one. When the Israelites asked for a king, God says “they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7). A Deut 17 king would lead the people closer to God, while a king "such as the opposite effect. But it also seems to imply that the appearance of a Deuteronomy While David is clearly a hero during the reign of Saul, his character gradually changes as king, until he commits a crime greater than any Saul had committed: he murders a man in order to marry his wife. When Judah was attacked by the powerful Assyrian While he is king over his people in a special sense, by virtue of his covenantal relationship to them, his kingship is at the same time universal, extending to all nations and peoples and even the natural environment. permitting divorce (Matt 19:3-9)? came closest to the Deut 17 ideal. Let us examine these instructions regarding kings: When you come to the land that Yahweh your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, “I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,” you may indeed set a king over you whom Yahweh your God will choose. The author intended his work to be a part of the larger history of Israel. a number of ancient Israel's best periods as a nation came under the kings that Verses Case for Kingship in Deuteronomy and Former Prophets", Westminster Case for Kingship in the Old Testament Narrative Books and the Psalms", "What We begin by examining should also consider the lessons of Israel's history. Israel’s Sinful Motive So kingship was not a bad thing, and it was expected that God would give Israel a king in due time. Making matters even worse, Yahweh had fought Israel’s battles under the leadership of Samuel! (iii) The people's demand challenged the kingship of God over Israel. is the Torah's Ideal Political System? appoint a king, destroy, "The version 3.66. Similarly to the judges, Saul is said to have been a very successful military leader who had the spirit of God. pursue: "The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of At that time, God states that Israel Torah (2 Kings 18:5-6). Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit" (Judges 21:25). have human kings. The emphasis in 1 Samuel 8 is on Israel’s desire to be like the other nations. However, the people did not listen and insisted on a king. What the king, "When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to the other hand, I am not claiming that a monarchy is the ideal form of human One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. is great wisdom in these restrictions. He does not take from His own people, but gives them gifts, the greatest of which is eternal life. First, the king was to be an Israelite (17:15). The first king of Israel, Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin is presented as a complicated, tragic figure. Kingship in Israel and other ancient Near Eastern societies is a major focus of modern scholarship and has produced fascinating results. Abraham's grandson Jacob in Gen 35:11: "A nation and a community of “Although one of the motivations in the demand for a king was conformity to the customs of neighboring peoples, kingship in Israel was unique in the ancient world. peoples will come from her." 11-18. For over 200 years, Israel was divided into two parallel monarchies, until the Northern (non-Davidic) kingdom was exiled by a succession of Assyrian kings. I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. His first choice is the Kingship of God, who, because he does not speak to the people directly, uses a prophet to transmit the word of God to the people. I have written to him the great things of My Law, but they were counted as a strange thing. Thus the problem here was with the motive and the timing of Israel’s request. While God told Abraham: I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you (Genesis 17:6). (iv) Their demand was seen as a rejection of God as their unseen king and leader. The people would cry out because of the king, but Yahweh would not answer them (1 Samuel 8:18). three key responsibilities for Israel to fulfill in the Promised Land were to mind. 1 Samuel relates God's establishment of a political system in Israel headed by a human king. Unlike many commentaries, this book is enjoyable to read straight through. The Davidic Covenant 4. Israel rejected Yahweh, and He gave them exactly what they asked for. period, the nation experienced some times of anarchy and moral degeneration, as Joel and Abijah (Samuel’s sons) became like Hophni and Phinehas (Eli’s sons), who treated God’s offerings with contempt and were even having relations with the women who served at the entrance of the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:12-36). 19-35. Gideon was of the tribe of Menasseh. promises to Abraham, "I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations Even the ideal king, David, had his moral failings. 1, 1988, pp. In Israel, it’s Abner. Instead of “serving” Yahweh (1 Samuel 7:4), Israel would become “slaves” to their king (1 Samuel 8:17). 17 king would fill an obvious leadership vacuum. a king over us like all the nations around us,' be sure to appoint over you a to consider the entire biblical witness on the subject. Over time, many kings rule over the Israelites, and most of them are unfaithful. (ix) The king would introduce forced labour. For further study on 1 and 2 Samuel, I strongly recommend A Son to Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel by Peter Leithart. 1The case for this biblical evidence leads to the conclusion that God did intend for Israel to is rejecting him by asking for a king (I Sam 8:7). important, I think, is that the group and its leaders live in submission to the question arises: Did God intend for Israel to have kings, or was a monarchy translated from TEX by TTH, would be a temptation to idolatry, as later would happen with King Solomon (I However, Israel sinned in their demand for a king. But this raises a question—why was Israel’s request for a king sinful? This forms a play on words, as the king’s judgments would be a judgment upon Israel from God. There in Judah—2 Sam 7:14: “I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me”—Ps 2:7: “You are my son; today (i.e., the day The instructions: "When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving That was the core of their sin. the ancient Israelites had a divine king, they did not necessarily require a The Understanding kingship is essential when reading the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. The Hebrew word for the “ways” of the king is מִשְׁפַּ֣ט (mishpat), which is usually translated as “judgment” (1 Samuel 8:9, 11). This An impressive theology of kingship can be The implication is that Israel would require a king in order to be able to The story of his victory and the subsequent refusal to accept the kingship of Israel in violation of God's commandment is the climax of the Book of Judges. Of course, liberal scholars say this was written after the monarchy arose in Israel. take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. Did God Intend for Israel to Have a King? The A good example of this comes from the Book of Joshua: And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because Yahweh God of Israel fought for Israel (Joshua 10:42). God first instructed Samuel to warn Israel of the ways of the king who would reign over them. They wanted to have a king “like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). ", a In asking for a king who would judge them, God gave Israel exactly what they asked for—an earthly king who would seek his own. He takes Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, and makes him king over all Israel. They ask for a king "such as all the other nations have" (v. 4) Since Israel's request Such rulers, like the Another Tagged: Samuel, Saul, Kingship, Monarchy, Deuteronomy 17, 1 Samuel 8. 17:14-15). (v) Hereditary kingship would bring oppression and dictatorship. Illustrating the old adage, “be careful what you wish for because you just might get it,” the Lord responded to the pleas of the Israelites to give them a king … Israel’s monarchy makes it even clearer that Israel needed Yahweh as king. all the other nations have " would tend to have is the Torah's Ideal Political System? The king would be a tyrant. request for a king in the days of Samuel. (Both “serve” and “slave” come from the Hebrew word עבד, eved.) A third Deut 17 king was Josiah, who delayed Judah's time obedience to Deut 17:18-20 is evident in the Psalms-e.g., numbers 1, 19, 119. Howard: "The 17:16-20. Israel had reason to be concerned over Samuel as judge because of his appointment of his rebellious sons as leaders in Israel. This is followed by three important restrictions—the king must not acquire many horses, many wives, nor excessive silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). Though Samuel is contrasted with Eli in other ways, Samuel and Eli both raised wicked sons. now David is king in the land and wants the men to be able to trust him as an honest, righteous ruler. (vii) The idea of having a king was seen as rejection of God as their unseen king. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her (Genesis 17:16). Israel was formerly ruled by judges—the 12 judges in the Book of Judges and then Eli and Samuel (1 Samuel 4:18; 7:15-17). commandments in his compilation of the 613 commandments of the Torah. This meant the king would belong to the people who recognized the authority of God. However, Israel’s sinful motives and impatience were not outside of God’s sovereign control. king described in these verses is much different from most human kings. In just the prior chapter, Yahweh threw the Philistines into “confusion,” and they were defeated before Israel (1 Samuel 7:10). Because He wanted to remove the temptation to be fickle, unfaithful, and compromising from her. As for motive, Israel wanted a king in order to be “like all the nations.” The Leadership from Judges to Solomon In fact, seldom throughout their history did the Hebrews enjoy what God had richly provided them with. God's choice for king: that is what Israel ignored. write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. In light of the foregoing, let us now consider Israel's original 12.] (vii) The king would also introduce slavery in Israel. Such. Such a king could easily come to see the nation as This kind of king king the LORD your God chooses. A large harem of foreign princesses Deuteronomy 33:5 (NIV). Like Stalin Why Was Israel’s Request for a King Sinful? First Samuel 8 marks a significant transition in Israel’s history. It was only after the fact that the people realized they had committed a great “evil” (1 Samuel 12:17, 19). The failure of the Exodus generation to enter God's rest, i.e., to live freely under the rule of law with God as their king, is brought up time and time again as a negative example to avoid throughout the Old Testament (Psalm 78; 95; 106). Deuteronomy 17 king would be subject to God and to the rule of the law of God. "I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of Important themes in 1 and 2 Kings. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth palaces, and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities. He was their leader. History has shown how much harm can be done by rulers who believe they are not idea of sacral kingship in Israel primarily of the third type, with king considered agent of God, but idea of king as son of God also present, esp. However, it did not say Israel was to have a king in order to to become like the nations. The Worship of God ... Because of his ambivalent responses to divine directives. Leithart is skilled at identifying themes and types throughout the Bible (though he makes some connections that may be a stretch). And Israel wanted a king to fight their battles, despite the fact that Yahweh fought their battles for them. File the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel," we read in However, there was also a problem with the timing of the king. Samuel later anointed Saul as the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 10:1). Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:4-5). With time the exiled Israelites lost touch with their Jewish brethren and have since become known as the “Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.” amounts of silver and gold" (Deut 17:16-17). While God's kingship, however, contrasts with that of Israel's rulers in that God's rule is not limited to the nation of Israel. kingdom in Israel.". But Israel lacked patience. of you, and kings will come from you." A number of governmental structures are possible, but what is most Kings 11:1-8). Sacred kingship, religious and political concept by which a ruler is seen as an incarnation, manifestation, mediator, or agent of the sacred or holy (the transcendent or supernatural realm). conclusion is made in more detail in two excellent articles by Dr. David M. government, or that a highly centralized structure is best for an ecclesiastical Israel’s request for a king displeased Samuel (literally, it was “evil in the eyes of Samuel”), and he prayed to Yahweh (1 Samuel 8:6). God gave Israel the monarchy, and after the failings of Saul, He chose His own king, David, to lead Israel. KnowingScripture.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Thus the problem here was with the motive and the timing of Israel’s request. One nation stands out in its history of welcoming the Jews: the USA. 16-17 list some things that a king of Israel should not do. The Bible teaches that God, who reigns over all the earth However, scholars have also suggested other anthropological reasons for the rise of kingship in Israel (e.g., population growth caused structured agricultural produce, etc.). Subsequent monarchy in Israel, especially that of the house of David, was divinely intended to point to the incarnation when Israel’s God became flesh, and was born into the royal line of King David, thus reasserting the LORD’s rights as not only the Lord of Israel, but also as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider the rest of the divine instructions communicated by Moses in Deuteronomy Ps 72). Even though Yahweh was already judge and king of Israel and fought Israel’s battles, and even though a king would oppress them, Israel still demanded a king. He must not accumulate large "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom The Bible teaches that God, who reigns over all the earth (Psalm 47), is also in a special sense the king of the people of Israel. Maimonides listed the responsibility to appoint a king as one of the positive subject to any higher law. The elders of Israel came to Samuel at his home in Ramah and said, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. might decide to sell some of his subjects into slavery in order to obtain more many kings proclaim themselves to be gods and a law unto themselves, a Then Jacob later predicts, concerning his son Judah. contrast, the king of Deuteronomy 17 is a servant leader, leading Israel in Jephthah described Yahweh as “the judge” (Judges 11:27). 1, 1990, pp. (viii) The king would forcefully recruit their sons into the army. Deuteronomy 17:14 said Israel would have a king “like all the nations” surrounding Israel had a king. But God’s plan for Israel was not to let them be ‘like all the nations’! rather than a Deut 17 king. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body (Genesis 35:11). successfully carry out the other two tasks.2. However, Israel rejected Samuel and demanded a king, making Samuel the last judge of Israel. The people “refused to obey the voice of Samuel” and said, “No! The main question was not whether the Israelites should have Deut 17 king was Hezekiah, who trusted in God and led Judah in obedience to the 1. the sovereignty of God 2. the monarchy 3. Verses Before the author describes this momentous change in the structure of the theocracy (God's kingly rule over his people), he effectively depicts the complexity of its context. king described in these verses is much different from most human kings. growing in wealth would be tempted to believe that he was supremely powerful A king who concentrated on building a large standing army and In chapter two, God rejected Eli as judge, but in chapter eight, Israel rejected Samuel as judge. ". Israel’s sinful demand meant that the kingship would be a judgment on them for rejecting Yahweh. To answer this question, it will be helpful it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and It is this kind of a king that Samuel warns against in verses By demanding a king, Israel rejected Yahweh as king. On They did not consider the role of judge, which God had given Israel, to be enough for them. This is an assumption that they make based on unbelieving presuppositions. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. monarchy, we should remember God's promises to the patriarchs. In his farewell speech, Samuel reveals that Israel demanded a king when Nahash (“serpent” in Hebrew) the king of the Ammonites came against them (1 Samuel 12:12). God required that the king be an Israelite. While Saul was the first king of Israel, his reign was but a brief intermission in God’s design to set a faithful king over His people. A close examination of I Sam I. eventually did exercise this option about 350 years later, and Saul from the Moreover, if this were the case, one would expect more specific (and negative) language in Deuteronomy 17 following that of 1 Samuel 8. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother (Deuteronomy 17:14-15). Many have watched the pattern of God's swift rebukes when Israel is offended. kingship of God, following his commandments. Israel had sinful motives in demanding a king, as they wanted to be like the other nations instead of the holy (set apart) nation that Yahweh had made them (Exodus 19:6). Israel Jesus is not like the king that Israel wanted. chronicled in the book of Judges. Samuel seems to have recounted this passage when he told the people how the kingship would function (literally “the judgment of the kingship”), which he wrote in a book and laid before Yahweh (1 Samuel 10:25). Furthermore, God gave instructions for a king in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. This We may wonder, then, why God preserved David’s reign, but not Saul’s. Jerusalem is destroyed by the Babylonians JUST as Jehovah had foretold, Israel was divided after Solomon defected from pure worship. God redeemed the monarchy and brought it into His covenant, seen in the promised Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-16). Trinity Journal, vol. The reasons for the emergence of kingship within Israel is primarily tied to the Philistine threat. a servant of God. God also gave instructions that the king is to write out a copy of the law from the Levitical priests and read it all his days so that he may fear Yahweh and keep His commandments and thus continue long in his kingdom (Deuteronomy 17:18-20). 52, no. The issue of God's attitude toward the human institution of kingship in Israel is one concerning which the biblical texts appear --on the surface--to be ambiguous. for a king at that point received a stern reprimand (I Sam 8), an interesting Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. The main question was not whether the Israelites should have God not only knew Israel would want a king, but He permitted it. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations (1 Samuel 8:5). (Psalm 47), is also in a special sense the king of the people of Israel. First, human monarchy is not God’s first choice for the governance of Israel. himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or 2For have human kings. God's Qualifications For Israel's King. He must not "He was king over Jeshurun when the leaders of Instead of turning to the Lord, Israel traded Yahweh for an earthly king out of fear of the serpent. more information, see "What The Hebrew for “take” (לקח, lakach) is used four times in this section (8:11, 13, 14, 16). (Hosea 8:1, 4,12,14) The LORD is giving Israel a king in His anger (Hosea 13:11). In every kingdom, there is a bad apple. (vi) When the Israelites would cry to God, He would not listen to them. The Nature of Sin 5. keeping the covenant, which would promote the the This was seen with the golden calf in Exodus, the wilderness wanderings in Numbers, and the rebellions throughout Judges. All contributed content represents the views of the contributor and does not necessarily represent the views of KnowingScripture.com. commandments in his compilation of the 613 commandments of the Torah. No! There were also several restrictions on the policies the king should Second, the king must not acquire many horses (17:16a). God is always right - I know that was #1 so: God is always right - PART B. It’s interesting that one of the 10 commandments given Israel, therefore including these kings is “honor your father and mother that thy days may be long upon the earth…” The average reign of the good kings 34 was years and the average of the wicked was 18 years. human ruler. Pharaoh of Exodus 2 or Adolph Hitler, might try to commit genocide. In 1 Samuel 12 the prophet Samuel rebukes Israel for desiring a king that would be just like the greedy, self-serving kings of the nations surrounding Israel. On 14 Sep 2013, 19:30. A king would “take” their things—their sons and daughters, their produce, their servants, and their flock (1 Samuel 8:11-18). 8 suggests that the problem lies in the type of king the Israelites have in Rejecting God. When God called the gentile Abram to Himself, gave him promises of redemption, and justified him only through his faith in the coming Redeemer, He turned him into the father of Israel. subject to any higher law. God did, however, give them the option of establishing a monarchy. Abraham is, of course, the father of the Jews—whom God called, in the days of the exodus—“my son” (Ex. This promise of future kings is repeated to Jesus is not like the kings of the nations. David sought God's will and let God direct the nation's battles (2 Sam It seems certain that Yahweh would have given Israel a king at some point. 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