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1 Samuel
Chapter Eleven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 11
This
chapter relates the distress the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead were in on account
of the Ammonites
1 Samuel 11:1 upon
which they sent messengers to Saul
whose spirit was immediately stirred up to
help them
1 Samuel 11:4
and
prepared for it
and came up soon enough for their relief
and slew their
enemies
1 Samuel 11:7
which gained him much honour and reputation among the people
and occasioned
the renewal of the kingdom to him
1 Samuel 11:12.
1 Samuel 11:1 Then Nahash the
Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh
said to Nahash
“Make a covenant with us
and we will serve you.”
YLT
1And Nahash the Ammonite
cometh up
and encampeth against Jabesh-Gilead
and all the men of Jabesh say
unto Nahash
`Make with us a covenant
and we serve thee.'
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up
and encamped against
Jabeshgilead
.... A month after
as in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin
versions
that is
a month after Saul was chosen king; so JosephusF16Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 5. sect. 1. : this prince was preparing for war against Israel before
which they hearing of
requested they might have a king to go before them in
battle
1 Samuel 12:12 but
now he actually marched from his own country
and besieged Jabeshgilead
a city
in the land of Gilead
from whence it had its name
and lay in the half tribe
of Manasseh
on the other side Jordan
see Judges 21:8. It lay
near to the Ammonites
and was part of the country they laid claim to in the
times of Jephthah
which they now renewed
and attempted to gain it by force.
This Nahash was king of the Ammonites
as he is called in the Targum
and by
JosephusF17Ibid.
and so in the Arabic version
see 1 Samuel 12:12.
and all the men of Jabeshgilead said unto Nahash
make a covenant
with us; they desired to be his allies and confederates
live in peace
and friendship with him
and enjoy their religion and liberties on certain
conditions they were willing to come into; and this was the sense of them all
or at least the greatest part
which showed a mean and abject spirit in them
to make no defence of themselves
but as soon as besieged to move for a
capitulation. This doubtless arose from a sense of their weakness
not being
able to hold it out long
and from an apprehension that their brethren the
Israelites
on the other side Jordan
could give them no assistance
being in
an unsettled condition
having chosen a king
and he scarcely on the throne
and the Philistines having great power over them:
and we will serve thee; not as slaves
but as
tributaries; they were willing to pay a yearly tax to him.
1 Samuel 11:2 2 And Nahash the Ammonite
answered them
“On this condition I will make a covenant with
you
that I may put out all your right eyes
and bring reproach on all Israel.”
YLT
2And Nahash the Ammonite
saith unto them
`For this I covenant with you
by picking out to you every
right eye -- and I have put it a reproach on all Israel.'
And Nahash the Ammonite answered them
.... In a very
haughty and scornful manner:
on this condition will I make a covenant with you
that I may
thrust out all your right eyes; some Jewish writers go into a mystical and
allegorical sense of these words
as that Nahash ordered the book of the law to
be brought
which was their right eye
that he might erase out of it these
words:
an Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the
Lord; others understand it of the sanhedrim
which were the eyes of
Israel; and others
which come a little nearer to the sense
of the slingers
and archers
the desire of the eyes of Israel; and who
by having their right
eyes thrust out
would be in a great measure spoiled for taking aim; for the
words are to be understood literally; the intention of Nahash was to disable
them for war
and that they might become quite unfit for it
as Josephus
observesF18Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5. sect. 1. ; the left eye being under
the shield
as it usually was in war
and the right eye plucked out
they would
be as blind men: he did not choose to have both their eyes thrust out
for then
they could have been of no use and service to him as slaves or tributaries:
and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel; that they did
not come up to the relief of their brethren
and defend them
and signifying
that they must all expect the same treatment from him.
1 Samuel 11:3 3 Then the elders of Jabesh
said to him
“Hold off for seven days
that we may send messengers to all the
territory of Israel. And then
if there is no one to save us
we will
come out to you.”
YLT
3And the elders of Jabesh
say to him
`Let us alone seven days
and we send messengers into all the
border of Israel: and if there is none saving us -- then we have come out unto
thee.'
And the elders of Jabesh said
.... The magistrates and
principal men of the city:
give us seven days' respite
that we may send messengers to all
the coasts of Israel; that is
cease from besieging them
from throwing in darts into
the city
or any other missive weapons
and from attempting to break open the
gates
or break down the walls of it
and storm it; such a space of time they
desire
which was as little as could be granted
to go and return in
and
without this it would not be a reproach to all Israel
if they were ill used by
them
since they had no knowledge of their case
nor time to come up for their
assistance:
and then
if there be no man to save us
we will come out to thee; and submit to
be used at thy pleasure. And it seems that this was granted by Nahash out of a
bravado
and to reproach and insult all Israel
and bid them defiance; with
whom he sought to quarrel
having a design upon their land
and knowing very
well their condition
being awed by the Philistines; and having just chosen a
king
and he an inexperienced man in the affairs of war
and had no army; nor
was it likely that one could be assembled in so short a time
and come to the
relief of this people
and therefore he thought himself safe enough in granting
their request.
1 Samuel 11:4 4 So the messengers came to
Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the
people lifted up their voices and wept.
YLT
4And the messengers come to
Gibeah of Saul
and speak the words in the ears of the people
and all the
people lift up their voice and weep;
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul
.... Where he
was born
and brought up
and now dwelt; and he being elected king
it brought
an honour to the place; and from hence had this name
to distinguish it from
the others
and this is the first time it was so called. Now the messengers
from Jabesh came hither directly
because they knew that Saul
the chosen king
dwelt here
and the Benjaminites
of all the tribes
had great reason to show
regard to them
since it was from thence they had four hundred wives
when they
were reduced to six hundred men only
in order to raise up their tribe:
and told the tidings in the ears of the people; Saul being
not at home in the city
but in the fields
they reported to them the hardships
their city was under
being besieged by the Ammonites
and threatened that if
not relieved in such a time
all their right eyes would be plucked out:
and all the people lifted up their voices
and wept; moved with
sympathy to their brethren
and who by their intermarriage with them were
nearly related to them; and who might fear they would not stop there
but
having taken that place would march forward
and come to them
and use them in
like manner; the thought of which was very distressing to them.
1 Samuel 11:5 5 Now there was Saul
coming
behind the herd from the field; and Saul said
“What troubles the
people
that they weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
YLT
5and lo
Saul hath come
after the herd out of the field
and Saul saith
`What -- to the people
that
they weep?' and they recount to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
And
behold
Saul came after the herd out the field
.... Where he had
been to look after the and take care of them
and see what condition they were
in
and followed them on their return home; for though he was elected king
he
was not inaugurated
and did not take upon him any state; and being despised by
some
and no provision as yet made for his support and maintenance as a king
and no business as such for him to do
Samuel still acting in his office
he
returned to his father's house
and employed himself in rustic affairs
as he
used to do: though some think this was casual
that he had been in the field to
recreate himself
or to meditate on the affairs of government
and happened to
return just as the herd came out of the field
and so followed them; thus
Jarchi interprets it not of his coming after the herd
but of his coming after
the fixed and usual time of the herd's coming out of the field; but JosephusF18Ut
supra
(Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5.) sect. 2. is clear for it
that he had been about
some rustic business
some part of husbandry in the field
and returned to the
city; nor has it been unusual for emperors and kings
and persons in high
offices among Greeks and Romans
and other nations
in times of peace
to
employ themselves in husbandry; so did the judges of Israel
as Shamgar
and
Gideon
and Boaz
Judges 3:31 so
Quinctius Cincinnatus being taken from the plough and made dictator
after he
had conquered his enemies
returned to his husbandryF19Flor. Hist.
Roman. l. 1. c. 11. Aurel. Victor. de Vir. Illustr. c. 20. Alex. ab Alex.
Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 11. :
and Saul said
what aileth the people
that they weep? he supposed
some evil had befallen them
and desired to know what it was
that
if it lay
in his power to help them
he might:
and they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh; the message
they brought
and the account they gave of the distressed case of their city.
1 Samuel 11:6 6 Then the Spirit of God
came upon Saul when he heard this news
and his anger was greatly aroused.
YLT
6And the Spirit of God doth
prosper over Saul
in his hearing these words
and his anger burneth greatly
And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings
.... And
filled him with pity and compassion to the inhabitants of Jabesh
and with
wisdom and prudence
and set his thoughts at work to contrive ways and means
for their relief
and with fortitude
courage
and resolution
to attempt their
deliverance; so the Targum
"the spirit of fortitude from the Lord dwelt on
Saul:'and his anger was kindled greatly; against Nahash the Ammonite for
insulting Israel
and threatening to use the inhabitants of Jabesh in such a
cruel manner.
1 Samuel 11:7 7 So he took a yoke of oxen
and cut them in pieces
and sent them throughout all the territory of
Israel by the hands of messengers
saying
“Whoever does not go out with Saul
and Samuel to battle
so it shall be done to his oxen.” And the fear of the Lord fell on the
people
and they came out with one consent.
YLT
7and he taketh a couple of
oxen
and cutteth them in pieces
and sendeth through all the border of Israel
by the hand of the messengers
saying
`He who is not coming out after Saul and
after Samuel -- thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth
on the people
and they come out as one man.
And he took a yoke of oxen
.... Of his own or his
father's
which he had just followed out of the field
and for which chiefly
that circumstance is mentioned:
and hewed them in pieces; as the Levite did his concubine
Judges 19:29
and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of
messengers; some carrying a piece one way
and some another
throughout all
the tribes; for to them all the government of Saul extended
and which by this
he let them know it did:
saying
whosoever cometh not after Saul and after Samuel; he names
both
because he himself
though chosen king
was not inaugurated into his
office
nor was Samuel put out of his; and because he knew he was despised by
some
who would not object to and refuse the authority of Samuel
and therefore
if they would not follow him
they would follow Samuel; and he mentions himself
first
because of his superior dignity:
so shall it be done unto his oxen; be cut to pieces as
these were; he does not threaten to cut them in pieces
but their oxen
lest he
should seem to exercise too much severity at his first coming to the throne:
and the fear of the Lord fell on the people; they feared
should they be disobedient
the Lord would cut them to pieces
or in some way
destroy them
as well as Saul would cut their oxen to pieces; for their minds
were impressed with a sense of this affair being of the Lord:
and they came out with one consent; or "as one
man"F20כאיש אחד
"tanquam vir unus"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
as if they had
consulted together; being under a divine impulse
they set out from different
parts about much the same time
and met at a place of rendezvous next
mentioned.
1 Samuel 11:8 8 When he numbered them in
Bezek
the children of Israel were three hundred thousand
and the men of Judah
thirty thousand.
YLT
8And he inspecteth them in
Bezek
and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand
and the men of Judah
thirty thousand.
And when he numbered them at Bezek
.... Which was the place
appointed to meet at
the same with that in Judges 1:4; see
Gill on Judges 1:4 though
some take the word to be an appellative
and not
the proper name of a place
and render it
"with a stone"; with which he numbered
taking a stone
from each
and laying them on a heap
and then telling themF21Vid.
T. Bab. Yoma
fol. 22. 2. & Gloss. in ib. ; so Bizakion signifies little
stonesF23Suidas in voce βιζακιων with the
Greeks: or "with a fragment"; either of an earthen vessel
or of a
stone
or of the branch of a tree they carried in their hands
and so the
king's servants numbered not the men
but the branchesF24Vid.
Sheringham. in Misn. Yoma
c. 2. sect. 1. p. 14. :
and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand men; who came
together on this occasion; these were of the eight tribes and a half on this
side Jordan:
and the men of Judah thirty thousand; which tribe
is mentioned distinctly
because a noble and warlike tribe
which usually first
went up to battle; and though the number of them at this time assembled may
seem comparatively small
yet this may easily be accounted for; because they
bordered upon the Philistines
who watched every opportunity to take an
advantage of them
and therefore could not leave their tribe destitute
but
reserved a sufficient number to guard their coasts
and yet were desirous to
testify their obedience to Saul
though chosen king out of another tribe
when
they might have expected from prophecy that the dominion belonged to them.
JosephusF25Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5.) sect. 3. has made a gross
mistake in the numbers here
he makes the men of Israel to be 700
000
and the
men of Judah 70
000
contrary to the text
the Targum
Syriac and Arabic
versions; but the Septuagint comes pretty near him
which has 600
000 of the
men of Israel
70
000 of the men of Judah.
1 Samuel 11:9 9 And they said to the
messengers who came
“Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead:
‘Tomorrow
by the time the sun is hot
you shall have help.’” Then the
messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh
and they were
glad.
YLT
9And they say to the
messengers who are coming
`Thus do ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow
ye have safety -- by the heat of the sun;' and the messengers come and declare
to the men of Jabesh
and they rejoice;
And they said unto the messengers that came
.... From
Jabeshgilead
that is
Saul and Samuel said to them
as follows:
thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead: when they
returned unto them
as they were now upon the departure:
tomorrow
by that time the sun be hot; when it
smites with the greatest heat
as at noon: this morrow seems not to be the next
from their return home
or going from Saul
but the morrow after they were got
home
and should deliver the message to those that sent them
1 Samuel 11:10 and
so JosephusF26Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5.) sect. 3. says
it was
on the third day the assistance was promised them:
ye shall have help; Saul with his army by that time would come
and raise the siege: and the messengers came and showed it to the men of
Jabesh; what Saul had promised
and what a numerous army he had raised
and had
now upon the march for their relief
and tomorrow would be with them:
and they were glad; it was good news and glad tidings to them;
it cheered their hearts
and gave them spirit.
1 Samuel 11:10 10 Therefore the men of
Jabesh said
“Tomorrow we will come out to you
and you may do with us whatever
seems good to you.”
YLT
10and the men of Jabesh say
[to the Ammonites]
`To-morrow we come out unto you
and ye have done to us
according to all that [is] good in your eyes.'
Therefore the men of Jabesh said
.... To Nahash the
Ammonite:
tomorrow we will come out unto you; meaning if they had no
help
which they were well assured they should have; but this condition they
expressed not
which they were not obliged to
but left him to conclude they
had no hope of any
the messengers being returned
and the next being the last
of the seven days' respite; and by this artifice the Ammonites were secure
and
not at all upon their guard against an approaching enemy:
and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you; make shows of
them
pluck out their eyes
or put them to death
or do what they would with
them.
1 Samuel 11:11 11 So it was
on the next
day
that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst
of the camp in the morning watch
and killed Ammonites until the heat of the
day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered
so that no two of
them were left together.
YLT
11And it cometh to pass
on
the morrow
that Saul putteth the people in three detachments
and they come
into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch
and smite Ammon till the heat
of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered
and there have
not been left of them two together.
And it was so on the morrow
.... After the messengers
were returned
and delivered their message
and the men of Jabeshgilead had
given the Ammonites reason to expect that they would come out to them according
to their agreement:
that Saul put the people into three companies; or
"heads"F1ראשים
"capita"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
under so many commanders
assigning to each their number
if equally
110
000 in each
as Gideon divided
his three hundred into three companies
one hundred in each
Judges 7:16 and
Abimelech
Judges 9:43 it
seems to have been their way of fighting in those days:
and they came unto the midst of the host: that is
of
the Ammonites:
in the morning watch; the third and last watch
of the night
by break of day
or before
however before the sun was up; so
quick was Saul and his men in their march
though on foot. BuntingF2Travels
of the Patriarchs
&c. p. 126. computes the distance from Gibeah to Bezek
forty miles
and from thence to Jabesh sixteen; it is commonly reckoned that it
was about sixty miles from Gibeah to Jabesh. JosephusF3Ut supra. (Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 5. sect. 3.) says it was ten "schaeni"
each of which
contained five or six miles:
and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day; that is
till
noon
so that from the morning watch till noon he was making slaughter of them:
and it came to pass
that they which remained were scattered; those that
were not cut off by the sword of Saul were broken and dispersed
they could not
stand their ground against him:
so that two of them were not left together; to flee together
but every one
shifted for himself
and fled alone.
1 Samuel 11:12 12 Then the people said to
Samuel
“Who is he who said
‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men
that we may put them to death.”
YLT
12And the people say unto
Samuel
`Who is he that saith
Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men
and
we put them to death.'
And the people said unto Samuel
.... By which it seems
that Samuel accompanied Saul in this expedition; though it is somewhat
difficult to account for it
that a man of his years should be able to attend
so quick a march that Saul made; it may be
therefore
that he might follow
after him gently
and meet him quickly after the battle was fought
when the
people made the following speech to him:
who is he that said
shall Saul reign over us? is such a
mean inexperienced man fit to rule over us? who can bear his government
and
submit to it? what can be expected from him
that he should deliver and save us
out of the hands of our enemies? in this they had respect to the sons of
Belial
and what they said
1 Samuel 10:27
but
now it appeared he was sufficiently qualified
and God had made him an
instrument of salvation
and was a proper person to be king over them:
bring the men
that we may put them to death; so
transported were they with affection to Saul
and indignation against those
men.
1 Samuel 11:13 13 But Saul said
“Not a man
shall be put to death this day
for today the Lord has accomplished
salvation in Israel.”
YLT
13And Saul saith
`There is
no man put to death on this day
for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in
Israel.'
And Saul said
.... Preventing Samuel from giving an
answer
being ready to forgive injuries; as it was in his power as a king
and
him only
to pardon those persons that treated him in so ill a manner
and it
was policy so to do
especially in the beginning of his reign; and it plainly
appears that this temper did not always continue with him; though there is no reason
to believe otherwise
that this was now owing to his lenity as well as his
prudence:
there shall not be a man put to death this day; who by their
appearance to his summons had testified their obedience
and by their courage
and valour had showed their attachment to him
and to the interest of their
country. Ben Gersom takes the sense to be
that it might be right after
but
not on this day to put them to death; or that this was an artifice of Saul to
deliver those men out of the hands of the Israelites
suggesting as if it was
his intention hereafter to put them to death
though not now
for the following
reason:
for today the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel; he does not
ascribe the victory to the quick dispatch he made
to his wisdom and prudence
in forming the scheme he did
and to his valour and courage
and that of his
troops
but to the power and goodness of God.
1 Samuel 11:14 14 Then Samuel said to the
people
“Come
let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”
YLT
14And Samuel saith unto the
people
`Come and we go to Gilgal
and renew the kingdom there;'
Then said Samuel to the people
.... Agreeing to what
Saul had said
and in order to put them off from demanding the lives of the
offenders
and willing to take them while they were in a good disposition:
come
and let us go to Gilgal; which was the nearest
place to them
on the other side Jordan
from which they now were
and where
the children of Israel first encamped when they passed over Jordan
where the
tabernacle and ark first were
and an altar was built
and where meetings used
to be held on certain occasions; all which might be reasons why Samuel proposed
to go to this place. According to BuntingF4Ut supra. (Travels of the
Patriarchs
&c. p. 126.)
this place was thirty six miles from
Jabeshgilead:
and renew the kingdom there; that is
recognize Saul
own and declare him king of Israel.
1 Samuel 11:15 15 So all the people went to
Gilgal
and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal.
There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord
and there
Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
YLT
15and all the people go to
Gilgal
and cause Saul to reign there before Jehovah in Gilgal
and sacrifice
there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah
and there Saul rejoiceth --
and all the men of Israel -- very greatly.
And all the people went to Gilgal
.... Agreed to the
motion
and marched along with Saul and Samuel thither:
and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; that is
they
declared him to be king there; he was inaugurated into
and invested with his
office
otherwise it was God only that made him king
who only had the power of
making one
see Acts 2:36. Josephus
saysF5Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5.) sect. 4. that Samuel anointed
him with the holy oil; and so the Septuagint version here renders it
"and
Samuel anointed Saul there to be king;'and it is not improbable
that as he
privately anointed him
he did it publicly also; if not at the election of him
then at this time; and it is observable
that in the next chapter
and not
before
he is called the Lord's anointed. Now this was "before the
Lord"; in this place; this being
as Abarbinel observes
a sanctified
place
where the tabernacle and ark of God had been; and he supposes it
probable that the ark was brought hither; but it was enough that the people and
congregation of the Lord were here
and who
when assembled in his name
his
presence was with them:
and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the
Lord; where an altar was built
and on which they offered these peace
offerings by way of thanksgiving
partly for the victory obtained over the
Ammonites
and partly for the renewal of the kingdom to Saul
and their
unanimity in it
as well as to implore and obtain future peace and prosperity:
and there Saul
and all the people of Israel
rejoiced greatly; they in their
king
and he in the good will of his people
and both in the great salvation
God had wrought for them.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》