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The Israelites chose to follow kings instead of judges because they desired a centralized authority figure to lead them in times of war and to provide stability and unity among the tribes. Kings were seen as stronger and more capable of defending the nation against external threats compared to the decentralized system of judges. Additionally, the surrounding nations had kings, and the Israelites wanted to emulate their neighbors in order to be perceived as a more powerful and organized nation.
Kings were able to control anyone. Judges only helped people, and they weren't as powerful as the kings. The judges were more like the king's servant, like the Egyptian scribes, priests, etc.
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When the prophet Samuel was old his sons were judges over Israel. But Samuel's sons did not walk in the ways of God and so the people of Israel demanded that Samuel appoint a King to rule over them. The also wanted to be like the other nations around them and have a king.
1Samuel 8:5 and said to 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."
The Israelites at that time were coming to the end of an era which was unique in world history. They had undertaken a grand experiment: whether a nation could govern themselves for centuries without a king or organized government.
Instead, there were the officers of tens, fifties, hundreds and thousands (Exodus ch.18), and the court of Elders (Sanhedrin), who were Torah-scholars that provided Torah-rulings and guidance. Each of the leading Judges (Gideon, Deborah etc.) was a private citizen (not a head of government) who led the nation only during a brief episode of battle. (See: The Judges)
During that era (of the Judges, about 360 years), when someone raised the possibility of having a king, the answer was: God will rule over you, not a king (Judges 8:23). The events of the Exodus and the Giving of the Torah were so fresh in the nation's memory that they didn't need a king; God was their King. (The missteps which did take place in that era, is a subject beyond the scope of the present question.)
In Samuel's old age, over four centuries after the Exodus, the people (including their Torah-scholars) felt that the time had come to take a regular government. The Torah itself permitted this (Deuteronomy ch.17); and they saw that Samuel's sons didn't seem to have reached his spiritual level (1 Samuel 8:2-3).
Their usage of the expression "like the other nations around us" need not be a problem, since they were deliberately quoting the Torah itself (Deuteronomy 17:14).
What then was their mistake (why did Samuel criticize them)?
According to the Malbim commentary (on 1 Samuel), they should have waited at least until Samuel was too old to function.
According to the K'li Yakar commentary (on Deuteronomy), their precise choice of language ("for us," instead of the "over us" which the Torah had said), hinted that they wanted a king who might be affected by public pressure (which later happened with Rehoboam). See Talmud, Yoma 22b.
According to Samuel himself (1 Samuel 8:10-18), they were taking a regrettable risk because later kings might be overbearing.
One more point: in Judaism we have a general rule which is called "the descent of the generations." This means that according to our tradition, the earlier a generation lived, the higher was their spiritual level (Talmud, Shabbat 112b). No Talmud-sage would dare to negate a verse of the Prophets; and no later Rabbi would dare to belittle a Talmud-sage.
For this reason, we must not judge that generation. And concerning Saul, our tradition explicitly states that he was a righteous man (Talmud, Moed Katan 16b; and Midrash Breishit Rabah 54:4); and he unified the Israelites and defeated their enemies round about (1 Samuel 14:47).
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What role did judges play among the Israelites?
The Judges served for about 365 years (1244 to 879 BCE, according to traditional chronology), from the death of Joshua until the time of King Saul. They served as Judges, as military leaders when the nation was under threat, and as spiritual leaders. In addition to the these, there have been regular judges, from the time of Moses (Exodus ch.18) down to this day. These are Torah-scholars whose function is to adjudicate disputes according to Torah-procedure.The Book of Judges records those events in which some of the ancient Israelites began to sin (Judges 2:11), and were then persecuted by surrounding nations, as God had warned them (Deuteronomy ch.32). When the Israelites repented (Judges 2:1-4, 3:9, 3:15, 6:6, 10:10), God saved them from their enemies.The Judges:EhudShamgarDeborahGideonAbimelechTolaYairJepthahIbzanElonAbdonSamsonEliSamuelSee also:Jewish history timelineTransition from Judges to KingsMore about the Hebrew Bible
What is the president's most important judicial power?
choose Supreme Court and Federal judges
What is the Book of Judges about?
The Book of Judges forms part of what is now known as the Deuteronomic History (Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings) and is about events purportedly occurring in Israel before the start of the monarchy under King Saul. The earliest material is believed to be the 'Song of Deborah' (Judges chapter 5). It is unclear how much of the Book of Judges is based on fact, but some scholars doubt the the period of the Judges really encompassed 400 years.
Why did Israelites settle in the hills of Canaan rather than the coastal plains?
Some did and some did not. For those Israelites who avoided the coastal plains, the reason in Judges 1:19 and 1:34 would apply. Some of the coastal Canaanites seemed too hard to conquer, and so did the Philistines, down to King David's time.
Who were the men and women sent by God to defend the Israelites?
The Judges, and also some of the Kings. See also:The JudgesTimeline
Why did ancient israelites insists on a king?
The ancient Israelites wanted kings to replace the judges, just to follow the other tribes who had kings.
How did the Israelites choose or appoint judges?
The first judges were chosen b Moses at God's command (Exodus ch.18 and Numbers ch.11). From that point on, the sages (Judges) of the highest court (the Sanhedrin) chose the judges for the other (local) courts, from among the greatest Torah-sages of each generation. See also:Politics of the Israelites
What were leaders called by God to free the Israelites from their enemies?
Judges.
When the israelites were at least settled in the promise land they were first of all ruled by judges prophets or priests?
That answer would be...Judges!!
What were the israelites to do when they faced difficulty?
They prayed to God and repented (Judges 2).
Who were the judges from the old teastment?
In the Old Testament, the judges were individuals who served as both military leaders and spiritual guides for the Israelites. Some of the well-known judges include Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and Samuel. They were appointed by God to help deliver the Israelites from oppression and rule over them during turbulent times.
What role did the judges play in the life of ancient Israelites?
The judges played a key role in keeping the 12 tribes united .
Who was chosen to lead the Israelites after the death of Joshua?
After the death of Joshua, the leaders of the Israelites for 360 years were the Judges. The first of them was Othniel ben Kenaz.See also the Related Links.Link: More about JoshuaLink: More about the Judges
What was the Midianites relationship to the Israelites?
They fought with or harassed the Israelites on several occasions. Numbers ch.25, Judges ch.6, and elsewhere.
Where do the presidents often choose federal judges from?
Presidents often choose federal judges from their own political party.
Why is the Judges Period in the Bible considered to be a power vacuum?
Because (among the israelites) "in those days there was no king." (Judges 17:6)
Who led the israelites in cannan?
Joshua led them into the land. After that, the leaders were the Judges and then the Kings.
