Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh.
      (1.) He must tell them that they shall have a king. Hearken to the voice of the people,1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 8:7, and again, 1 Samuel 8:9; 1 Samuel 8:9. Not that God was pleased with their request, but, as sometimes he crosses us in love, so at other times he gratifies us in wrath; he did so here. When they said, Give us a king and princes he gave them a king in his anger (see Hosea 13:10; Hosea 13:11), as he gave them quails, Psalms 106:5; Psalms 78:29. God bade Samuel humour them in this matter, [1.] That they might be beaten with their own rod, and might feel, to their cost, the difference between his government and the government of a king; see 2 Chronicles 12:8. It soon appeared how much worse their condition was, in all respects, under Saul, than it had been under Samuel. [2.] To prevent something worse. If they were not gratified, they would either rise in rebellion against Samuel or universally revolt from their religion and admit the gods of the nations, that they might have kings like them. Rather than so, let them have a king. [3.] God knows how to bring glory to himself out of it, and to serve his own wise purposes even by their foolish counsels.