Why does the nation ask for a king? When is a judge preferable to a king, and when is a king the better option? The nation requests a king when Shmuel is the leader, and he believes his leadership is preferable to the leadership of a king. Shmuel presents the spiritual dangers of monarchy and a world that is less sensitive to God's intervention.

Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, Yeshivat Har Etzion