1 Samuel 8:12 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

He will appoint him, Heb. to or for himself emphatically, i.e. for his own fancy, or glory, or conveniency, or evil design, and not only when the necessities of the kingdom or commonwealth require it, as the judges did. And though this might seem to be no encumbrance, as it is here represented, but an honour and advantage to the persons so advanced, yet even in them that honour was accompanied with great dangers, and pernicious snares of many kinds, which those faint shadows of glory could not recompense; and as to the public, their pomp and power proved very burdensome and oppressive to the people, whose lands and fruits were taken from them, and bestowed upon these, for the support of their state, as it follows below, 1 Samuel 8:14,15. And to reap his harvest, at his own pleasure, and without their consent, when possibly their own fields required all their time and pains. To make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots; he will press them for all sorts of his work, and that upon his own terms.