I Shmuel 12: Reluctant Support

Shmuel will ultimately appoint two kings, but he is also one of the most vocal critics of having a king. Chapter 12 is Shmuel’s extended chastisement of the people for asking for a king. Shmuel makes a direct connection between the people’s rejection of him as their leader and the Korach rebellion in Numbers. Shmuel calls out to the people: “Here I am! Testify against me, in the presence of the LORD and in the presence of His anointed one: Whose ox have I taken, or whose ass have I taken? Whom have I defrauded or whom have I robbed? From whom have I taken a bribe to look the other way? I will return it to you.” (הִנְנִי עֲנוּ־בִי נֶגֶד ה׳ וְנֶגֶד מְשִׁיחוֹ אֶת־שׁוֹר מִי לָקַחְתִּי וַחֲמוֹר מִי לָקַחְתִּי וְאֶת־מִי עָשַׁקְתִּי אֶת־מִי רַצּוֹתִי וּמִיַּד־מִי לָקַחְתִּי כֹפֶר וְאַעְלִים עֵינַי בּוֹ וְאָשִׁיב לָכֶם) (verse 3). Moshe says something similar to God in Numbers: “Moses was much aggrieved and he said to God: ‘Pay no regard to their oblation. I have not taken the ass of any one of them, nor have I wronged any one of them.’” (וַיִּחַר לְמֹשֶׁה מְאֹד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־ה׳ אַל־תֵּפֶן אֶל־מִנְחָתָם לֹא חֲמוֹר אֶחָד מֵהֶם נָשָׂאתִי וְלֹא הֲרֵעֹתִי אֶת־אַחַד מֵהֶם) (Numbers 16:15). There is also another subtle connection. At the beginning of chapter 11, Nachash, the king of Amon, threatened to cut out the eye of the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gilad. In Numbers, Datan and Aviram tell Moshe: “You have not even brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and given us possession of fields and vineyards, should you gouge out the eyes of those involved? We will not come!” (אַף לֹא אֶל־אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ הֲבִיאֹתָנוּ וַתִּתֶּן־לָנוּ נַחֲלַת שָׂדֶה וָכָרֶם הַעֵינֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם תְּנַקֵּר לֹא נַעֲלֶה) (Numbers 16:14). Shmuel links the two stories to show his displeasure with the people’s request for a king. But he also shields himself from criticism. Based on the text, the people came to Shmuel to ask for a king back in chapter 8. The reason they asked for a king was because Shmuel’s two sons were not living up to their father’s leadership and started taking bribes. But in this chapter, Shmuel says that they people approached him to ask for a new king after Nachash attacked. In the text, Nachash’s attack happens after Shaul is anointed, but before his coronation. Why does Shmuel change the story? Abarbanel lays out the timeline as follows: 1) the people asked for a king as explained in chapter 8, 2) Shmuel admonishes the people for their choice, 3) God is angry so he sends Nachash to attack as a punishment, 4) the people do not realize that Nachash’s attack is a punishment, so they double down on the request. Shmuel is referring to this second request. Because they doubled down, Shmuel now goes into the extended attack on the kingship in this chapter.