By the end of the eleventh century the population in the central hill country more than doubled, and other regions of the highlands followed this pattern.13 The growth in population increased the growth in agricultural productivity, which transformed the Israelite social structure. Population growth within the current social structure of the Israelite society, where only the oldest son received double the inheritance, deprived many young men from relying solely on farming for a livelihood. The land in the highlands was very limited, thus many young, unmarried males looked for other economic opportunities. Yet, the establishment of the monarchy created new opportunities; it offered the young people a “safety valve,” enabling careers in the military, government, or priesthood.14 It is believed that David, who was the youngest in his family, was forced to leave home because there wasn’t much inheritance left for him when he became of age. David left home because he was looking for a new resource for his livelihood. He found it in the military activity in the service of Saul and later as the leader of his own outlaw band of mercenaries.15
Samuel’s Denunciation of Kingship
In contrast to the elders’ demand for a king, Samuel the prophet vehemently rejected the idea of human kingship. Modern scholars disagree strongly concerning the reason behind Samuel’s denunciation of kingship, and the timing of its composition. Wellhausen believed that the stories describing Samuel’s anti-monarchial views were composed in the Second Temple period. Theocratic views were prevalent among the priests and sages who governed during that period. The disappointment arising from the destruction of the temple buttressed this ideology, which viewed human kingship as a sin. The ideal was a religious community, which, through the study of the Torah and the fulfillment of God’s commandments, would receive God’s mercy and salvation.16
Budde held that the anti-monarchial stories were composed in the second half of the eighth century BCE, marked by the decline of the northern kingdom and its eventual destruction. To support his view, he points to the prophecies of Hosea that describe disappointment with human kingship (Hos 3:4–5; 8:4, 10; 13:10–11).17 Nevertheless, the same prophet embraced messianic expectations, prophesying that in the end days the Israelites: “Will seek the Lord their God and David their King” (3:5).
The opposition to kingship did not emerge in a later period, for it had already existed much earlier among the Israelite tribes. The verses in Samuel that object to kingship do not reflect a later period; they do describe the reality that existed during Saul’s period. Those passages were probably composed at the beginning of Saul’s reign.18
Opposition to human kingship is an early phenomenon and appears in the book of Judges with the story of Gideon.19 When the men of Israel say to Gideon: “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson as well,” Gideon replied: “I will not rule over you myself, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord alone shall rule over you” (Judg 8:22–23). Rejection of human kingship is also found in the fable of Jotham (Judg 9:8–15). The fable parodies human kingship, with its origin in the “plants legend” found in Sumerian literature.20 In the fables of Gideon and Jotham, the rejection of human kingship is a theme. The stories possess literary traits of an earlier period and do not have traits of later composition, such as Deuteronomistic terminology. One senses that people did not want to give up their individual freedom and liberties.21
It was Samuel, not God, who was unhappy with the people’s request.22 Samuel’s main objection was the fear that the Israelite kingship would be similar to “the other nations,” but as noted already, Samuel had a different agenda; he tried to establish his own prophetic dynasty.23
Samuel outlined the rights of the king (1 Sam 8:11–18) to express his objection to human kingship. The whole section is directed against the demand for a human king. Samuel included the following reasons for his objections:
1. The demand for a human king displays distrust in God and his ability to save his people.
2. The request for a king is similar to worshiping other gods.
3. Human kings will appropriate all the people’s possessions, control their lives, and revoke their liberties.
4. Since humans and not God choose the king, God will not answer their pleas or deliver them of their distress (v. 18).24
This is one-sided; Samuel avoids mentioning the positive elements of kingship such as establishing justice, providing leadership, and maintaining security. The people of Israel were aware of Samuel’s motives and told him: “Let our king rule over us and go out at our head and fight our battles” (1 Sam 8:20).25
The rejection of human kingship is also repeated in Samuel’s farewell speech (1 Samuel 12). The speech is presented as a dialogue between Samuel and the people where Samuel is the protagonist. It has three major sections: (1) The prophet is compared to the king; (2) the power of the prophet is demonstrated; and (3) the future of the prophet is foretold.26 In the speech, the king is portrayed as a person who does things for his own self-interest, not as a leader, judge, and warrior. To strengthen this, the king is described as a person who will take (laqaḥ) everything from the people and enslave them.27 Yet, Samuel takes nothing from the people. The king described in Samuel’s speech is antithetical to the judges who previously delivered the Israelites from oppression. The implication is clear; this kind of leader is neither needed nor desirable. In comparing the old and the new, the prophet glorifies the past while criticizing the future king.
Samuel viewed himself as God’s instrument on earth, and saw human kingship as a threat to his authority and status. It was a direct threat to establishing his dynasty. The demand was also a threat against the authority of the priests in the holy places like Mizpah, Bethel, and Gilgal. A human king meant a decline in priestly power and influence. Evidently, Samuel’s fears were justified and from the time that Saul was elected, Samuel’s stature declined steadily. He had no role in the establishment of the army (1 Sam 13:2), or the recruitment of people in the war against the Philistines. Moreover, Saul assumed cultic leadership of making sacrifice, a function formerly held by Samuel. Another blow to his status was the return of the priests of the house of Eli, who became priests in the service of the king. Indeed, from here on, the priests came increasingly to serve the kings of Israel. Not surprisingly