Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

divine Sovereign--the demand for a king became widespread
throughout Israel.
Under Samuel's administration the nation had prospered, order
had been restored, godliness promoted, and the spirit of discontent
held back for the time. But when he got older, the prophet appointed
his two sons to act as his assistants. The young men were stationed
at Beersheba to administer justice among the people near the
southern border of the land.
They did not turn out to be worthy but "turned aside after
dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice." They had not
copied the pure, unselfish life of their father. To some extent he had
been too permissive with his sons, and the result was plain to see in
their character.
This gave the people a pretext for urging the change they had
secretly desired for a long time. "All the elders of Israel gathered
together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said unto him, 'Look,
you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us
a king to judge us like all the nations.'" If Samuel had known about
the evil course of his sons, he would have removed them
immediately, but this was not what the people wanted. Samuel saw
that their real motive was discontent and pride. No one had
complained against Samuel. Everyone acknowledged that he had
governed with integrity and wisdom. The old prophet did not give a
rebuke, but he carried the matter to the Lord in prayer and sought
counsel from Him alone.
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