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?
I will be thy king: where - rather, as margin and the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, 'where now is thy king?' (Maurer.) The English version is, however, favoured by the antithesis between Israel's self-chosen and perishing kings, and God, Israel's abiding king (cf. Hosea 3:4-5). [But 'ªhiy (H165) is 'where,' not 'I will be.' And 'eepow' (H645), which the English version renders "where," never occurs thus by itself, but always subjoined to '-y-h, or '-h-y.] Translate, 'where now is thy king, that he may save thee?'
Where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king? - Where now is the king whom ye substituted in my stead? Neither Saul, whom the whole nation begged for, not contented with Me, their true King (1 Samuel 8:5; 1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 8:19-20; 1 Samuel 10:19), nor Jeroboam, whom subsequently the ten tribes chose instead of the line of David my anointed, can save thee now. They had expected from their kings what is the prerogative of God alone-namely, the power of saving them.
Thy judges - including all civil authorities under the king (cf. Amos 2:3).