The Brother of Jared felt sorrowful for the people who accompanied him and Jared, because of their choice. As a seer he saw a dark picture of strife and loss of freedom in a future time. Jared, less spiritually minded, joined the majority. But the sons of the Brother of Jared refused to accept the office of kingship. Three sons of Jared also declined. Finally, the youngest of Jared's own sons, Orihah, accepted. He was anointed King. (v. 27)
That he was anointed indicates that the office was considered sacred. Probably the religious functions of the head of the young state were the most important. That became the case in Assyria, where the king claimed to be a high-priest and a mediator between Heaven and Earth. Also in Babylonia, where kings regarded themselves as the sons of God in a special sense, a doctrine that found its way into Egypt, and also later on, into Peru.
There is nothing objectionable in the title king, itself. It all depends on the personality of the incumbent. Our Lord is a King, even, the King of kings, and His sovereignty is the completion of the Plan of Salvation. Melchizedek was a king (Hebrews 7:1-2). Moses made provision for the position of king in his Hebrew state. He says:
"When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose." (Deuteronomy 17:14-15)
One of such a king's duties was to read the word of God, especially the Law, every day (Ibid., 17:18-20), "that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren." The first three kings of Israel, Saul, David, and Solomon, were all selected by divine guidance. As kings, they were the representatives of God, although the human frailty often made them seem unfit for the position.