How did the monarchy start in Judaism?

Answer 1

The Torah makes provisions for the institution of monarchy (Deuteronomy ch.17). Throughout the three centuries of the Judges, the Israelites didn't place a king over themselves, because God was their king (see Judges 8:23), meaning that their awareness of God was so strong that a king wasn't needed to maintain order. By the time of Samuel, however, the consensus began to be expressed that the time had come to begin monarchy. The people approached Samuel and requested that he, as prophet and elder Sage, would anoint a king (1 Samuel ch.8). At first he told them that he wasn't happy with their request, since, as long as he was still alive and active, they should have preferred his rule as prophet, to that of a king (Malbim commentary, ibid); but later, acting on God's instruction, he anointed Saul, the first Israelite king (1 Samuel ch.9 and 10).