Dougg, yet again you take things out of context!

Start from the beginning of the chapter. Samuel is old and wants to appoint his sons to replace him as judges. THIS is what the chapter is about. EARTHLY human beings who rule.

If you read it in context it is clear that G-d is patting Samuel on the back and saying "don't feel bad that they don't want your sons to replace you -- it isn't your fault. . ."

Quote:
1 Samuel 8:1 When Samuel became old he appointed his sons judges over Israel. . .3 But his sons did not follow his wyas. They were swayed by profit; they took bribes and they perverted justice.

4 All the elkders of Israel then gathered together and came to Samuel, to Ramah, and 5 They said to him, "Behold! You are old and your sons did not follow your ways. So now appoint for us a king to judge us, like all the nations.

6 It was wrong in Samuel's eyes that they said "Give us a king to judge us and Samuel turned to HaShem.

7 HaShem said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell to you, for it is not you whom they have rejected, but it is Me whom they have rejected from reigning over them. 8 Like all their deeds that they have done from the day I brought them up from Egypt until this day they forsook Me and worshipped the gods of others.
So are they doing to you, as well.


In context it is clear G-d is comforting Samuel and saying "hey, don't feel bad that they rejected your rotten kids -- they have been a pain all along." This has nothing to do with Jews not supposed to have an earthly king -- for the 12th time, G-d clearly tells Abraham, Isaac and Moses that there WILL be Jewish kings.

The thing that was displeasing to G-d was not that they wanted the king He always said we would have, but rather that they said to judge us like all the nations.

Israel is not like other nations. We have the brit (covenant). Therefore we should be judged DIFFERENTLY than the other nations. This is why G-d says He is rejected -- are we rejecting His Torah when we ask to be judged the same as other nations?
And everything that Sarah tells you, listen to her voice. Genesis, 21:12