1 Samuel 12

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
1 Samuel 12:3 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.3.KJV

And before his anointed, was that not in reference to king 👑 Saul https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.3.KJV

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.
1 Samuel 12:12 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.12.KJV

In the text 1 Samuel 8:1 to 6 it is clearely as stated that they wanted a king to judge them like the other nations because Samuel’s son were dubious and not at all like their father.

No mention was made of the war with Nahash the ammonite but dakes suggests it seemed that war was pending.

We see here that the fear of Nahash was also a contributing factor to why they wanted a king like the other nations.

One to lead them to war like the other nations https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.12.KJV

If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:
1 Samuel 12:14 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.14.KJV

In other words you will not prosper just because you have king.

It will not be an automatic endorsement of God for victory ✌️.

You still must keep the commandments of the lord you God in order to continue in prosperity,

Not merely the selection of a king over you. https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.14.KJV

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
1 Samuel 12:19 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.19.KJV

Is it not interesting that they did not change their mind about the king after this.

Needless to say they were already too deep into the kingdom and God had given his approval so there was no turning back. https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.19.KJV

NOTE 2

God was displeased with the peoples desire for king,

But there was no turning back .. The people were one and their hearts yearned for a king.

God knew that when a people are one there was no telling what they could do and indeed it would proper whatever their intent was.

Except God intervened as was the case in the tower 🗼 of babel.

Genesis 11:6 KJV
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

So this time the lord allowed the people to prevail and even aided their desire https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.19.KJV

But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
1 Samuel 12:25 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.25.KJV

Well said, submitting to a king 👑 was no guarantee of victory without submitting to the king 👑 of kings https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.12.25.KJV