1 Samuel 11
11
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1Now Nahash the #11:1 The Ammonites were descendants of Lot (Gen 19:36-38).Ammonite [king] went up and #11:1 This was a common military tactic used against a fortified (walled) city or garrison, to take it with a minimal loss of troops. All supplies and communication were cut off between the city and the outside world, in the hope of starving out the citizens or destroying their morale and will to resist.besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty [of peace] with us and we will serve you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite told them, “I will make a treaty with you on this condition, that I will #11:2 Partially blinding a man made him almost useless as an enemy combatant or archer because it hampered his depth perception and limited his peripheral vision.gouge out the right eye of every one of you, and make it a disgrace upon all Israel.” 3The elders of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Give us seven days so that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out [and surrender] to you.” 4#11:4 Nahash granted the request, even though the Israelites’ offer to submit to slavery (v 1) clearly indicated that they were in essence already defeated. Nahash undoubtedly believed that there was no formidable person to save Israel, and he wanted to see them willingly submit to the painful and debilitating mutilation that he had planned for them.Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news to the people; and all the people raised their voices and wept aloud.
5Now Saul was coming out of the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they are weeping?” So they told him about the report of the men of Jabesh. 6The Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became extremely angry. 7He took a team of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out to follow Saul and Samuel, the same shall be done to his oxen.” Then fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out [united] as one man [with one purpose]. 8He assembled and counted them at Bezek; and the sons of Israel numbered 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 9They said to the messengers who had come, “You shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have #11:9 Lit deliverance.help [against the Ammonites].’ ” So the messengers came and reported this to the men of Jabesh; and they were overjoyed. 10So the men of Jabesh said [to Nahash the Ammonite], “Tomorrow we will come out to you [to surrender], and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11The next morning Saul put the men into three companies; and they entered the [Ammonites’] camp during the [darkness of the early] morning watch and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and the survivors were scattered, and no two of them were left together.
12The people said to Samuel, “Who is the one who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, and we will put them to death.” 13But Saul said, “No man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has brought #11:13 Lit deliverance.victory to Israel.”
14Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there restore the kingdom.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they also sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
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1 Samuel 11
11
Saul’s Deliverance of Jabesh-gilead
1Nahash # DSS, LXX read About a month later, Nahash # 1Sm 12:12 the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. # 1Sm 12:12; 31:11 All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty # 1Kg 20:34; Ezk 17:13 with us, and we will serve you.”
2Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I’ll make one with you on this condition: that I gouge out everyone’s right eye # Nm 16:14 and humiliate all Israel.” # 1Sm 17:26; Ps 44:13
3“Don’t do anything to us for seven days,” the elders of Jabesh said to him, “and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you.”
4When the messengers came to Gibeah, # 1Sm 10:26; 15:34 Saul’s hometown, and told the terms to # Lit in the ears of the people, all wept aloud. # Gn 27:38; Jdg 2:4 5Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. “What’s the matter with the people? Why are they weeping? ” Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh.
6When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly took control of him, # Jdg 14:6; 1Sm 10:10 and his anger burned furiously. 7He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, # Jdg 19:29 and sent them throughout the land of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.” # Jdg 21:5,8,10 As a result, the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out united. # Jdg 20:1
8Saul counted them at Bezek. # Jdg 1:5 There were 300,000 # LXX reads 600,000 # Jdg 20:2 Israelites and 30,000 # DSS, LXX read 70,000 men from Judah. 9He told the messengers who had come, “Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’ ” So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.
10Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do whatever you want # Lit do what is good in your eyes to us.”
11The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions. # Jdg 7:16 During the morning watch, they invaded the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. There were survivors, but they were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
Saul’s Confirmation as King
12Afterward, the people said to Samuel, “Who said that Saul should not # Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss omit not reign over us? # 1Sm 10:27 Give us those men so we can kill them! ” # Lk 19:27
13But Saul ordered, “No one will be executed this day, for today the Lord has provided deliverance in Israel.” # Ex 14:13; 1Sm 19:5
14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let’s go to Gilgal, so we can renew the kingship there.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there in the Lord’s presence # 1Sm 10:17 they made Saul king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings # 1Sm 10:8 in the Lord’s presence, and Saul and all the men of Israel greatly rejoiced.
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