During his speech of rebuke, the prophet Samuel presents the people with the historical cycle that defined the era of the Judges: a repeating pattern of peace, sin, punishment, desperate cries for help, and ultimate salvation. This historical reminder is meant to illustrate God's constant, watchful care and to expose the futility of the nation's demand for a human king. The first stage of this cycle always began with a lapse in memory. Upon entering the Land of Israel, the ancestors simply forgot God [מצודת דוד].
This forgetfulness led to immediate and direct punishment. The swiftness of the discipline actually proved that God's watchful eye never left them; the moment they rebelled, He was quick to correct them [מלבי״ם]. The punishment took the form of being handed over to their enemies, as though they had been sold into foreign hands [מצודת ציון]. Yet, this was not an absolute sale. Because the Israelites accepted the Torah—thereby saving the world from reverting to utter chaos—they are considered to have acquired the entire world. Consequently, God did not literally sell them to foreign nations but merely gave those enemies permission to afflict them. This explains why, the moment the people repented, God was able to rescue them instantly without requiring any payment or ransom [צוארי שלל, חומת אנך].
The severity of the oppression under the major enemies of that era was not uniform [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. At times, the domination was absolute, with enemies holding complete control over the Israelites. In other situations, the enemies merely waged war without successfully conquering the nation, often fighting over territorial claims [מלבי״ם]. Another perspective suggests this was a gradual process: the enemies first initiated battles, and only after some time did God fully hand the people over to their power [מצודת דוד].
By reviewing these events, Samuel aims to prove to the people that their request for a king is a grave mistake. He reminds them that in the past, when they sinned and suffered under their enemies, God never instructed them to crown a king in order to be saved. Instead, when they cried out to Him, He sent judges who were chosen for their unique spiritual virtues, such as their commitment to eradicating idolatry, their lifelong holiness, or the presence of God's spirit upon them [אלשיך]. This historical record proves that as long as the nation is subjugated to a human king, they cannot serve God properly. True salvation only arrives through direct submission to God's kingship [אהבת יהונתן].
The strength of direct divine leadership is further reinforced by how these rescuing judges are remembered. Even the simplest judges of their generation are compared to the greatest leaders, like Moses and Aaron. This teaches that any leader appointed by God is equal in stature to the giants of the nation. Finally, Samuel even refers to himself in the third person. This detail highlights his deep humility and serves as proof that his words are a direct prophecy from God, rather than his own personal opinion [צוארי שלל].