I will be thy king: where [is any other] that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
Ver. 10. I will be thy king] Thine eternal King, so Pagnine. As I have been thy prophet, Hosea 13:4,5, so I will be thy king; I will also be thy priest and thy Redeemer, Hosea 13:14, that so thou mayest hear my voice, submit to my sceptre, and apply my death for thy deliverance from death's dominion. Or, I will be thy king, and not be borne down by thy boisterousness, who calleth for another king, and repinest against my righteous regiment. Thou wouldst cast off mine authority, but I will maintain it. The Lord is king, be the people never so unquiet, Psalms 99:1, he will reign over rebels in spite of their hearts; and those that will not be his subjects, his willing people, shall be his slaves, his footstool, Psalms 110:1; Psalms 110:3. The Geneva Bible reads it thus, "I am: Where is the king that should help thee in all thy cities?" R. Aben Ezra, Calvin, Oecolampadius, and others go the same way; only they render it, Ere, I will be one and the same (according to that name of mine, "I am that I am," Exodus 3:14, and "Before Abraham was, I am," Joh 8:58); though you be off and on with me, though you change often, yet I am Jehovah, I change not, I will be. What will he be? The same that I said I would be, thy Saviour, thine helper: or, I will be a bystander, to see what will become of thee, and how thy king (in whom thou trustest) will help thee. This last is R. Solomon Jarchi's interpretation. Pareus will have it run thus: I will be, what? a lion, a leopard, a bear, &c., and nothing shall alter my resolution.
Where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities] Thou sayest (but they are but vain words) I have counsel, and strength for war; I have a king, and princes, and strong cities. But alas, where are they? Let them increase their army, and come forth, as he once said, Judges 9:29. Ubi est Rex tuus? ubinam? nunc servet te, &c. Where is the king? where is he? let him now save thee in all thy cities: so Polanus rendereth it. Can they save thee, who cannot save themselves? It is a sarcastic concession. See the like Deu 32:37-38 Jdg 10:14 Amos 4:4. And observe that it is of God to deride and insult over men in their carnal confidence; and his people are licensed to do so too, so it be out of pure zeal, Psalms 52:6,7, and not out of private revenge.
And thy judges] Or chief officers, princes, that are necessary to a king, and are called his comites, cousins, and counsellors.
Whereof thou saidst] And wast set upon it; thou wouldst needs have them, contra gentes, against the nations, as they say, and hadst soon enough of them. Strong affections bring strong afflictions.
Give me a king and princes] It was partly their ambition, and partly discontent with the present government (as the present is always grievous, το παρον βαρυ, Thucyd.), that prompted them to this request; and they had it, but for a mischief. It is not always in mercy that prayers are answered: for Deus saepe dat iratus, quod negat propitius, God often throws that to his enemies, when they are overly importunate, which he denies to his friends, in great mercy to their souls. They do best that, acknowledging him the only wise God, pray, Not our will, but thy will be done.