BOOK I. CHAP. I. The rise of monarchy among the Jews. IN the decline of this venerable prophet's life and administration, to ease himself of the burden of public affairs, he made his two sons judges under him in Beersheba, who degenerated from their father's piety and virtue; or, as the historian expresses it, his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, took bribes, and perverted justice. A conduct so criminal could not but occasion great uneasiness, and excite a just resentment in the people against their oppressors. And what added to their grievances was, that as they were unjustly treated by these two judges at home, so they were threatened by a powerful invasion from abroad, by Nahash king of the Ammonites, who had actually entered the Hebrew territories, before even the elders had applied themselves to Samuel for a king to reign over them. This is expressly asserted by the prophet himself, before the whole body of the people, assembled 1 Sam. xii. together at Gilgal. 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. In this extremity, being destitute of any proper person to head their armies, Samuel being grown old and infirm, and his sons corrupt, and without courage and resolution, so as that little confidence could be placed in them, or assistance expected from them; instead of applying themselves to God, who had so often wonderfully appeared for them, and was their proper King and Governor, the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said, in an other1 Sam.viii. 5. wise respectful, but peremptory manner, Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations; for a king shall reign over 12. us. Upon this extraordinary emergence the prophet, neither 1 Sam. viii. refusing nor granting immediately their request, prayed unto 6-9. the Lord for his direction, what answer he should make to the people, and how he was to act upon so important an occasion. Accordingly the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: let them have their own will and take the consequences of it; and be not concerned for their disrespect and ingratitude to thyself, for they have treated thee just as they have done me, in their whole conduct, ever since I brought them out of the land of Egypt; as from that time to the present day they have forsaken me, and served other gods. However, let them have what they demand; but first publicly protest against this change in the form of their government, and then lay before them the nature of that kingly government they are so eagerly bent on, and the manner in which their future monarchs will reign over them. In obedience to these divine directions, Samuel assembled 1 Sam. viii. the people, and told them the answer he had received from 10-18. God; how he was displeased with their demand, but still left them to their choice, if, after being informed how their kings would govern them, they thought fit to persist in it. And he made this representation to them in so strong and lively a manner as one would have thought should have effectually prevailed with them to have desisted from their purpose, and earnestly requested the continuance of the divine protection and government. He tells them their kings would take their sons from them, 1 Sam. viii. and employ them in his own service, to drive his chariots, or be 11-18. the grooms of his stables, or his running footmen; that he would force them into his wars, make them with or without their consent officers in his armies, and send them upon any expedition he should think proper; and force others of them to plough and sow his grounds, and reap his harvests, and others to make all sorts of warlike weapons and chariots for battle. That he would oblige them to send their daughters for the necessary and servile employments of his house and family, to be his confectioners, cooks, and bakers; that the better to support his extraordinary expenses, he would seize upon their lands, their vineyards and olive-yards, and give even the best of them to his officers and servants; and as to those he left in their possession, would take the tenth of their produce for the maintenance of his eunuchs and attendants; However, this faithful representation of the prophet from God had no other effect on the elders, but to make them in a 1 Sam. viii. more peremptory manner insist on their demand; for they 19, 20. 22. refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and said, Nay, but we 1 Sam. v. Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. After this The reader will observe on this part of the history, that this demand, of so essential an alteration in the Hebrew government, was not owing merely to the maladministration of Samuel's sons, and the people's being exasperated at the oppressions they laboured under by their corrupt practices, of which the Scripture history says not a single syllable. For it was not the people in a body who applied to Samuel, but only the elders of Israel; those of the greatest reputation and highest rank in the several tribes. Nor is there the least intimation that they rose in a tumultuous manner, and applied to Samuel for redress. The contrary to this is the real truth. They addressed themselves to him in a very respectful, peaceable manner, and mentioned his sons with the greatest tenderness and decency, and in such a manner as carried in it a full acknowledgment of the prophet's own integrity and honour; demanding indeed peremptorily a king, but shewing the highest deference to him, by leaving to him the management of that important affair; for they said to him, Give us a king to judge us. And though such as had been aggrieved by the partial and unjust determination of Samuel's sons could not but be displeased with them, yet this could be no reason in itself for demanding an alteration in the form of government; as corrupt judges may be under any form, and were much more likely to be under the government of kings than under the theocracy, or immediate conduct and authority of God. And it deserves to be remarked, that almost all those judges, whom God raised up to them in an extraordinary manner, and on particular occasions, were persons, not only eminent for their valour and success, but for their probity and integrity in judging the people, and administering the public affairs of the nation. There were in reality several causes that conspired at this juncture to induce them to make this demand of a king. The invasion of Nahash the Ammonitish king, which was the immediate one; the age and infirmities of Samuel, who wanted that vigour that was necessary to oppose so powerful an enemy; the well-known character of his sons, to whom the people would not choose to submit, and who seem to have been utterly unfit for all military affairs; the greatness of their danger whilst destitute of any proper person to head and lead forth their armies; the immediate necessity, as they thought, of such a provision for the public safety; their concern to provide against all such emergencies of state for the future; and, what seems to have been the principal reason, their desire to become like the several nations by whom they were encompassed: all these things concurred to bring about this mighty revolution, and to establish monarchy and despotism in the Hebrew nation. If we survey the state of this people, from their coming out of Egypt under Moses, to the period now before us, during which season the theocracy subsisted in full force; we may well pronounce them the freest and happiest people in the world; and their prosperity was never disturbed, but as the punishment of their own crimes and follies. For these indeed they often smarted, and when no other methods could recover them, they were delivered up by God into the hands of the neighbouring nations, who all of them, in their turns, exercised the most tyrannical and oppressive government over them. And yet such was the lenity and goodness of the divine administration, that they no sooner returned to their allegiance and duty, than God raised them up extraordinary persons to deliver them from the power of their oppressors, and to establish them Judg. ii. 18. in the full possession of liberty and peace. When the Lord raised them up judges, the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. Even under the government of Samuel himself, when the Philistines gathered themselves together against them at Mispeh, upon his crying to the Lord for Israel, and their putting away their strange gods, God thundered with a great thunder upon the Philistines, and discomfited them, so 1 Sam. vii. that they were smitten before Israel, and so severely handled, as that they came no more into the coasts of Israel all the days of Samuel. 10-14, &c. Had this people known how to have rightly valued the blessings of liberty, and the happiness they enjoyed under the government of God, it is impossible they could ever have wished for an alteration, or subjected themselves and their posterity to kingly power. The freedom they enjoyed was the most perfect in its kind, restrained only by those wise and good laws which God had given them; the observance of which was absolutely necessary to secure the public welfare. And it is remarkable that during this period, in which there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes. He had nothing to consult but his own reason, nor any thing to control his actions but the authority and will of God. The judges pretended to no kingly or sovereign power, and even refused it when offered to them. Thus Gideon, when Judg. viii. the Israelites said unto him, Rule thou over us, both thou and 22, 23. |