For two hundred years the people of Israel had relied on a charismatic leader (“judge”) rising up to lead the various tribes. The call to have a king was meant to change that — there would be a designated leader over all the tribes. However, the failure of Saul as king caused the people to revert to the old pattern and look for a charismatic leader in the person of David. “The elders of Israel came to David in Hebron … and they anointed him king of Israel.” David wanted to establish a genuine royal house and he did so brilliantly by taking Jerusalem as his capital. Jerusalem had never been part of any tribes heritage so it was a place that all could pledge loyalty to.