1 Samuel 8-9 Give Us a King

When Samuel became old and it was obvious that his sons were not suitable to follow him, Israel asked that he get them a king so that they could be like all the other nations. God was displeased but told Samuel to do what they wanted. The system of judges, while subject to corruption just like every other human institution, structurally provided the greatest potential human liberty. A monarchy was a step away from that liberty and a distancing from God.