1 Samuel 11
1599 Geneva Bible
11 1 Nahash the Ammonite warreth against Jabesh Gilead, who asketh help of the Israelites. 6 Saul promiseth help. 11 The Ammonites are slain. 14 The kingdom is renewed.
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite [a]came up, and besieged Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will be thy servants.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your [b]right eyes, and bring that shame upon all Israel.
3 To whom the Elders of Jabesh said, Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then if no man deliver us, we will come out to thee.
4 ¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told these tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lift up their voices and wept.
5 And behold, Saul came following the cattle out of the field, and Saul said, What aileth this people, that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
6 Then the Spirit of God [c]came upon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and he was exceeding angry,
7 And took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul, and after [d]Samuel, so shall his oxen be served. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out [e]with one consent.
8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand men, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 Then [f]they said unto the messengers that came, So say unto the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow by then the Sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh, which were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out unto [g]you, and ye shall do with us all that pleaseth you.
11 ¶ And when the morrow was come, Saul put the people in three bands, and they came in upon the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and they that remained, were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12 Then the people said unto Samuel, [h]Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring those men that we may slay them.
13 But Saul said, There shall no man [i]die this day: for today the Lord hath saved Israel.
14 ¶ Then said Samuel unto the people, Come, that we may go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul King there before the Lord in Gilgal: and there they offered [j]peace offerings before the Lord: and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 11:1 After that Saul was chosen king: for fear of whom they asked a king, as 1 Sam. 12:12.
- 1 Samuel 11:2 This declareth that the more near the tyrants are to their destruction, the more cruel they are.
- 1 Samuel 11:6 God gave him the spirit of strength and courage to go against this tyrant.
- 1 Samuel 11:7 He addeth Samuel because Saul was not yet approved of all.
- 1 Samuel 11:7 Hebrew, as one man.
- 1 Samuel 11:9 Meaning, Saul and Samuel.
- 1 Samuel 11:10 That is, to the Ammonites, dissembling that they had hope of aid.
- 1 Samuel 11:12 By this victory the Lord won the hearts of the people to Saul.
- 1 Samuel 11:13 By showing mercy he thought to overcome their malice.
- 1 Samuel 11:15 In sign of thanksgiving for the victory.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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