And we also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and tight our battles for us.

that we also may be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and conduct our wars.

and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king hath judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.'

So that we may be like the other nations, and so that our king may be our judge and go out before us to war.

and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us."

Fight our battles - It appears from 1-Samuel 12:12, that the warlike movements of Nahash had already begun to excite alarm.

May judge us - This appears to be a rejection of Samuel.
Go out before us - Be in every respect our head and governor.
And fight our battles - Be the general of our armies.

That we also may be like all the nations,.... Even though they were slaves, like them; a king they would have, as they had, such was their stupidity. It was their greatest honour and glory, as well as happiness, not to be like other nations; as in their religion, laws, and liberties, so in their form of government; God being their King in such a peculiar sense as he was not of others, but with this they could not be content:
and that our king may judge us; hear their causes, administer justice and judgment to them, protect their persons and properties, and rule them according to the civil laws that were given them:
and go out before us, and fight our battles; which Samuel their present judge did not, and to which perhaps they may have some respect; but then he gained more for them by his prayers, than a king or general would by his military skill or prowess, see 1-Samuel 7:10, and it is very remarkable, and what is observed by some, that their first king died in a battle. What made them so pressing and importunate to have a king at, this time, and not defer it to another, it is very probable was, that they understood that Nahash, king of the children of Ammon, was preparing to attack them, and therefore they were desirous to have a king also to go out before them, and meet him, and give him battle, 1-Samuel 12:12.

Be like - What stupidity! It was their happiness that they were unlike all other nations, Numbers 23:9; Deuteronomy 33:28, as in other glorious privileges, so especially in this, that the Lord was their immediate king and lawgiver. But they will have a king to go out before them, and to fight their battles. Could they desire a battle better fought for them than the last was, by Samuel's prayers and God's thunders? Were they fond to try the chance of war, at the same uncertainty that others did? And what was the issue? Their first king was slain in battle: and so was Joshua, one of the last and best.