(Scriptures are shown from NASB first and NJKV second.)
1 Samuel 8:1-22
NASB
[8:1] And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. [2] Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. [3] His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.
[4] Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; [5] and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” [6] But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. [7] The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. [8] “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. [9] “Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”
God took Israel’s request to have a king as a rejection from Israel. God instructs Samuel to warn them that it won’t turn out the way they think it will.
[10] So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king. [11] He said, “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. [12] “He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. [13] “He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. [14] “He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. [15] “He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. [16] “He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. [17] “He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. [18] “Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
[19] Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, [20] that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” [21] Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD's hearing. [22] The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
Samuel tells the Israelites that the king will take their sons and daughters for his army and his servants. He will take the best fields, vineyards, and olive groves. He will take a tenth of their produce and flocks. He will use your servants and animals for his work. You will cry out with regret of the day you asked for a king, but the LORD will not answer.
“But we want to be like all the other nations. We want to have a king over us!”
God was not happy.
1 Samuel 8:1-22
NKJV
[8:1] Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. [2] The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. [3] But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. [4] Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, [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.”
[6] But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. [7] And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. [8] “According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. [9] “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
[10] So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. [11] And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. [12] “He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. [13] “He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. [14] “And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. [15] “He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. [16] “And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. [17] “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. [18] “And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day.”
[19] Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, [20] “that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” [21] And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD. [22] So the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”
Hosea 13:9-11
NASB
[9] It is your destruction, O Israel, That you are against Me, against your help. [10] Where now is your king That he may save you in all your cities, And your judges of whom you requested,“ Give me a king and princes”?[11] I gave you a king in My anger And took him away in My wrath.
NKJV
[9] “O Israel, you are destroyed, But your help is from Me.[10] I will be your King; Where is any other, That he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’?[11] I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath.
Deuteronomy 17:14-19
NASB
[14] “When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ [15] you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. [16] “Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ [17] “He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.[18] “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. [19] “It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, [20] that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
God set rules for the king.
NKJV
[14] “When you come to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ [15] “you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. [16] “But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ [17] “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.[18] “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. [19] “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, [20] “that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.
God’s plan was to govern Israel through judges, not through a king. God set Himself up to be King of Israel, so when Israel asked for a king, God said Israel was rejecting Him. God wasn’t pleased to allow Israel to have a king, but He relented, and permitted it.