It seems like there can be multiple judges at once, but there can only be one king. Sometimes it seems like there are judges, but nobody listens to them. In what sense is a person a judge, if anyone can become a judge, and the people might ignore them? What’s the difference between a judge, and a random person the writers of the book of judges happen to like?

Here is 1 Samuel 8:10-19. Do judges avoid all of these things? If so, how do they govern, and live?

10

Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.

11

He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.

12

Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

13

He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.

14

He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.

15

He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.

16

Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle [2] and donkeys he will take for his own use.

17

He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

18

When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."

19

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us.