The crowning of a new king is usually a moment of national unity, but the beginning of this reign is met with a divided public. While some citizens accept the new authority, a specific group refuses to recognize his leadership, expressing deep disappointment and actively withholding the respect due to a ruler.
The commentators explore what drove this opposition. From a social perspective, the new king's family was considered young and small, leading skeptics to believe he lacked any real power or political backing [מצודת דוד]. Although the people had requested a king, these critics expected a grand, impressive figure they could proudly rally behind, rather than someone who appeared to be a shy outsider [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Beyond social expectations, there were also religious motives at play. A certain group hoped for a ruler who would govern them like the surrounding nations, allowing them to abandon the laws of the Torah. Once they saw that the new king was chosen by God and aligned himself with those who revere Him, they realized their agenda would not succeed and rejected him [מלבי״ם].
This resistance took two distinct forms. First, the critics treated the new leader with open contempt [מצודת ציון]. Second, they deliberately broke protocol by refusing to present him with a gift, which was the standard custom for a coronation day. By withholding this tribute, they completely avoided approaching him to offer proper greetings of peace [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].
Faced with such public disrespect, the king's reaction shapes the early days of his rule. He chooses to remain completely silent, acting as though he were deaf to their insults and unable to speak [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Overlooking such a direct offense is highly unusual for a king [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, this restraint reflects a deeper reality of leadership. Recognizing that a king requires the willing consent of the people just as much as he needs the selection of God, he decides not to force his rule immediately. Instead, he simply returns home. It is only later, after saving the people of Jabesh-Gilead, that he earns the unanimous approval of the entire nation and his kingship is fully established [מלבי״ם].