But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations…” (1 Samuel 8:19–20)
The people notice that the surrounding nations have kings, and like teenagers wanting the latest fad, they clamor for a king for themselves. God reminds them that he is their king, but they refuse to accept that arrangement. Even after stern warnings about bad consequences to follow, they persist in pleading for a human leader. God relents, and their first king, Saul, is enthroned.
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