Chapter Eleven
Saul Defeats the Ammonites with God's Help
11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
Nahash was the king of Ammon, the kingdom east of Gilead on the east side of the Jordan River. Jabesh-gilead was in the Jordan valley approximately twenty-five miles south of the Sea of Galilee in the tribe of Gad’s territory. Nahash came across Gilead and besieged (Hebrew yi·ḥǎn, to pitch a tent, encamp, in context a military encampment) Jabesh-gilead and the men of Jabesh asked Nahash to make a treaty with them so that they will serve him instead of fighting (and potentially die from).
11:2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.”
Nahash said he would enter a treaty under one condition, that they would gouge the right eye of everyone in the city, bringing disgrace to all of Israel. The elders of Jabesh ask for a seven-day reprieve so that they can send word out to all of the people of Israel to see if anyone can rescue them. Apparently Nahash believed that there was no way that Israel could muster up an army, so he agreed.
11:4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, and all the people wept aloud.
The messengers arrive at Gibeah (noted as Gibeah of Saul, as there were several locations with that name, this one being in Benjamin, hometown of Saul, which will serve as his capital) and inform the people of what happened in Jabesh-gilead. Knowing the lack of unity and military might, the people wept.
11:5 Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled.
Saul apparently still working the fields for his father’s farm comes in from the field and hears the people crying. He asks what is wrong and is told about the men that subdued the city of Jabesh. At that time the Holy Spirit rush upon Saul and he became very angry.
11:7 He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
Perhaps remembering the horrific event of what took place in Gibeah many years earlier (see Judges 19:1-30), Saul took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the pieces throughout all of Israel with the message, that whoever does not come out now to Saul and Samuel, the same will be done to their oxen. The dread (Hebrew pǎ’·ḥǎḏ, terror, fear) of YHWH fell upon the people so they responded and came together as one, united and ready to fight.
11:8 When he mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation.’ ” When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 And the next day Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
When everyone was brought together at Bezek (unknown location, only other mention is found in Judges 1:5 where Adoni-bezek was defeated, based on the timing of this chapter it was likely within 15-20 miles from Jabesh-gilead) the count of those ready to fight was 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah. They sent word to the men at Jabesh-gilead that help was on its way, and they will arrive by the time the sun was hot (most believe that is a reference to being before noon) the next day. The men at Jabesh-gilead then told Nahash that they would tomorrow give themselves up to him. Meanwhile Saul organized the men into three companies and went into the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them down before the heat of the day. The Ammonites that survived were so scattered that no two of them remained together.
Considerations
Condescended
The Israelites desired to have a king to fight for them in scenarios such as this when a neighboring nation wishes to conquer. God ‘condescended’ to their level of unbelief, He granted them a king, one who could be seen and lead the people. Sadly they trusted a man more than they did God. He gave Saul an opportunity to prove himself and to push him into accepting the role of being that king.
The Kingdom Is Renewed
11:12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.”
With the excitement of experiencing victory against the Ammonites, the people were especially enthusiastic regarding having a king. Some even desired to kill those naysayers that had spoken against Saul being their king (see 1 Samuel 10:27).
11:13 But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.”
But Saul stopped the mob action, saying that no one was to be put to death on that day. He then rightfully acknowledges that the victory belonged to YHWH, as it was Him that saved them.
11:14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Samuel then tells everyone to go to Gilgal where they can renew the kingdom. Many readers stumble when they read “renew the kingdom,” as Saul was the first king, wondering how do you renew something that just got started. The reference does not appear to be referring to an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly one. The people of Israel had rejected God and now they had an opportunity to return to God with the exception that they now have a king instead of judges. The caveat of course is that the king must remain obedient to YHWH.
When they arrive in Gilgal, Samuel (as stated in the Septuagint) made Saul king of Israel before YHWH. They sacrificed peace offerings, the only offering ordained by God that could be shared as a meal with others (click here to read more about the various Old Testament offerings). King Saul and all the men of Israel celebrated.