John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. But the thing displeased Samuel , etc.] Not that they called him an old man, and suggested that he was incapacitated for his office, nor for observing the unbecoming walk of his sons, but for what follows: when they said, give us a king to judge us ; what displeased him was, that they were for changing their form of government, not only to remove it from him, and his sons, but from the Lord himself, who was king over them; the ill consequences of which, many of them at least, he easily foresaw, and which gave him great uneasiness, both on account of the glory of God, and their own good; insomuch, as Josephus says, he could neither eat nor sleep, but watched all night, and spent it in prayer, as follows: and Samuel prayed unto the Lord ; to know his mind and will, and what answer he should return unto them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-9 - Samuel was displeased; he could patiently bear what reflected of himself, and his own family; but it displeased him when they said, Giv us a king to judge us, because that reflected upon God. It drove him to his knees. When any thing disturbs us, it is our interest, as well a our duty, to show our trouble before God. Samuel is to tell them tha they shall have a king. Not that God was pleased with their request but as sometimes he opposes us from loving-kindness, so at other time he gratifies us in wrath; he did so here. God knows how to bring glor to himself, and serves his own wise purposes, even by men's foolis counsels.
Original Hebrew וירע7489 הדבר1697 בעיני5869 שׁמואל8050 כאשׁר834 אמרו559 תנה5414 לנו מלך4428 לשׁפטנו8199 ויתפלל6419 שׁמואל8050 אל413 יהוה׃3068
