John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. And the Lord said unto Samuel , etc.] He appeared to him in a vision or dream, and by an articulate voice delivered to him what follows: hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee ; not as approving of what they said, but permitting and allowing what they asked, as a punishment of them for their disloyalty and ingratitude, and as resenting their ill behaviour to him; for it was in anger he assented to their request, ( Hosea 13:11) for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them ; most interpreters supply the word “only”, as if the sense was, that they had not only rejected Samuel from judging them, but the Lord also from reigning over them; and which is spoken to comfort Samuel, and to alleviate the pressure on his mind for the ill treatment he had met with; for since they had served the Lord after this manner, it was no wonder he should be ill used, and might bear it with great patience: but I see no reason why the word may not be taken absolutely, that they had not rejected Samuel from all share in the government, at least from judging the people; for so he continued all the days of his life, even after they had a king over them; but they entirely rejected the sole and peculiar government of God over 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 ויאמר559 יהוה3068 אל413 שׁמואל8050 שׁמע8085 בקול6963 העם5971 לכל3605 אשׁר834 יאמרו559 אליך413 כי3588 לא3808 אתך853 מאסו3988 כי3588 אתי853 מאסו3988 ממלך4427 עליהם׃5921
