“Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel
unto Ramah. And they said unto him: Behold, you are old, and your sons walk
not in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
In the previous essay, we covered part of Abravanel’s discourse on monarchies in a general
sense, and as it pertains to Jews in particular. Here, we turn to a third and final aspect of
monarchies: Does the Torah mandate it? Is the establishment of a monarchy a mitzvah?
The start place is Deuteronomy 17: “When you are come unto the land which the LORD your
God gives you, and shall possess it, and shall dwell therein; and shall say: I will set a king over
me, like all the nations that are round about me. You shall in any wise set him king over you,
whom the LORD your God shall choose; one from among your brethren shall you set king over
you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.”
Abravanel understands as follows. “When you are come unto the land…”, spoken by Moses on
the eve of the liberation of Canaan, foreshadows what will transpire. Specifically, after Joshua
defeats the Canaanites, and after the twelve tribes settle into their respective territories,
trouble awaits. Ungrateful and unappreciative Hebrews will downplay the Creator’s kindnesses;
they will clamor for a king. The request, which is the subject of Samuel 8, has nothing to do with
Jews intent on fulfilling a commandment. That is because, Abravanel holds, it is NOT a
commandment. Nor is it vital to smooth-running governance. Therein lies Abravanel’s answer.
What, then, were the people possibly thinking? Why had the elders petitioned Samuel for a
king in the first place? “And they said unto him….Now make us a king to judge us like all the
nations.” For Abravanel, it was a question of Hebrews eagerly interested in imitating Gentiles,
most of whom adopt that form of government. If anything, Abravanel continues, the
appropriate time to request a king would have been in Joshua’s time. A king could have proved
helpful in dislodging Canaanites. However, to be colloquial, that train had left the station
centuries prior.
Hadn’t God come to Joshua’s aid in disgorging Canaanites? Hadn’t the Maker aided in dividing
up the Holy Land to the twelve tribes? Hadn’t the Holy People settled comfortably in Israel – all
without a king – courtesy of God, the nation’s King? What is the nation’s death wish? Why had
they sheepishly requested a king now, after God already did the heavy lifting, per se?
Abravanel believes that the verse in Deuteronomy discussing a king is not a proactive or
positive commandment. Rather, it falls in the category of commandments that bespeak a
concession to man’s evil inclination. He likens it to the case of a “war bride”, let us call her
(Deuteronomy 21).
Here is the point. The Torah does not demand the Hebrews to establish a monarchy. Far from
it; it’s a terrible, horrible, very bad idea. Nonetheless, should the Hebrews be so foolhardy to
demand one, then Moses provides proper parameters. Said king must:
- Be chosen and anointed by God, via a prophet
- Not be a foreigner
- Be Jewish
Abravanel adds much more to the discussion, but we will conclude with one more point that he
makes, as part of his comments to Samuel 8. They are the prophet’s dire warning to his co-
religionists. “And he said: This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will
take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they
shall run before his chariots.” That’s only the half of a king’s prerogatives. “And he will take
your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields,
and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his
servants….”
Samuel further berated his brainless brethren. “And you shall cry out in that day because of
your king whom you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
Echoing the fiery prophet, Abravanel might have added – and you will rue that dark day.