Before there could be any hope of prosperity for Israel they must be led to repentance before God. In consequence of sin they had lost their faith in God and their discernment of His power and wisdom to rule the nation--lost their confidence in His ability to vindicate His cause. Before they could find true peace they must be led to see and confess the very sin of which they had been guilty. They had declared the object of the demand for a king to be, "That our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." Samuel recounted the history of Israel, from the day when God brought them from Egypt. Jehovah, the King of kings, had gone out before them and had fought their battles. Often their sins had sold them into the power of their enemies, but no sooner did they turn from their evil ways than God's mercy raised up a deliverer. The Lord sent Gideon and Barak, and "Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered 615 you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe." Yet when threatened with danger they had declared, "A king shall reign over us," when, said the prophet, "Jehovah your God was your King."

Før Israel kunne gøre sig håb om fremgang, måtte de angre deres synd over for Gud. Synden havde bevirket, at de havde mistet troen på Gud. Det stod dem heller ikke længere klart, at han havde både magt og visdom til at styre deres rige. De havde mistet tilliden til, at han kunne forsvare sin sag. De kunne ikke opnå virkelig fred, før de havde indset og bekendt den synd, som de havde begået. De havde sagt, at de ønskede at få en konge til at dømme dem og drage ud i spidsen for dem og føre deres krige. Samuel gennemgik nu Israels historie fra den dag, Gud førte dem ud af Ægypten. Herren, kongernes Konge, var draget ud i spidsen for dem og havde ført deres krige. De var ofte bukket under for deres fjender på grund af deres synder, men så snart de holdt op med at synde, sendte Gud dem i sin nåde en befrier. Herren sendte dem Gideon og Barak og "Jefta og Samuel; og friede Eder af Eders fjenders hånd rundt om, så I kunne bo i tryghed". Da de så faren true dem, sagde de: "Nej, en konge skal herske over os - uagtet Herren Eders Gud var Eders konge!"