1 Samuel 11: A King Confirmed in Victory
When Nahash threatens Jabesh-gilead, the Spirit stirs Saul to rally Israel and win a great deliverance, and the kingdom is renewed.
1 Samuel 11 (WEB)
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.”
2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel.”
3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”
4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, “What ails the people that they weep?” They told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever doesn’t come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
8 He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 They said to the messengers who came, “Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’” The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.”
11 On 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 the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”
13 Saul said, “There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”
15 All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
1 Samuel 11 (KJV)
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh–gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 And he 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 Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel.
14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
1 Samuel 11 (ASV)
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.
4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
8 And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left together.
12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah hath wrought deliverance in Israel.
14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Summary
Nahash the Ammonite besieges Jabesh-gilead and offers terms only of cruel humiliation, demanding to gouge out every right eye as a reproach on all Israel. The men of Jabesh ask for seven days to seek help, and when their messengers reach Gibeah, the people weep aloud. Saul, returning from the field behind his oxen, asks why the people are weeping, and when he hears the news the Spirit of God comes mightily upon him and his anger is kindled. He takes a yoke of oxen, cuts them in pieces, and sends them throughout Israel with the warning that this will be done to the oxen of any who do not follow Saul and Samuel. The dread of the Lord falls on the people, and they come out as one man, numbering hundreds of thousands. Saul sends word to Jabesh that deliverance will come by the time the sun is hot, and the men of the city are glad. At dawn Saul divides the people into three companies, strikes the Ammonites until the heat of the day, and scatters them so that no two are left together. Afterward the people want to put to death those who had earlier despised Saul, but Saul refuses, declaring that on this day the Lord has worked deliverance in Israel. Then Samuel calls them to Gilgal to renew the kingdom, where they make Saul king before the Lord, offer peace offerings, and rejoice greatly. The chapter shows God's deliverance through his anointed and a hopeful, generous beginning to Saul's reign.
Main Characters
- Saul — The new king upon whom the Spirit comes mightily, who rallies Israel, defeats the Ammonites, and shows mercy to his earlier critics.
- Nahash the Ammonite — The cruel king who besieges Jabesh-gilead and demands the humiliation of every man's right eye as a reproach on Israel.
- The men of Jabesh-gilead — The besieged people who seek help across Israel and are delivered by Saul's swift response and God's victory.
- Samuel — The prophet who calls Israel to Gilgal after the victory to renew the kingdom and confirm Saul as king before the Lord.
Key Verse
1 Samuel 11:13 (WEB)
Saul said, “There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel.”
Lessons Learned
- The Spirit of God stirs his servants to action against injustice and oppression.
- True deliverance is the Lord's work, even when accomplished through human leaders.
- Victory is an occasion for mercy and gratitude, not vengeance against critics.
- God can use a crisis to confirm and unite his people around the leader he has given.
- The Spirit moves us to act. “The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul… and his anger was kindled greatly” (1 Samuel 11:6, WEB). God stirs his servants to confront evil.
- Deliverance belongs to the Lord. “Today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel” (1 Samuel 11:13, WEB). Saul credits the victory to God, not himself.
- Grace answers former opposition. “There shall not a man be put to death this day” (1 Samuel 11:13, WEB). A day of God's salvation calls for mercy rather than revenge.
- God confirms his appointed leader. At Gilgal “they made Saul king before Yahweh” (1 Samuel 11:15, WEB). Faithful deliverance led the people to rally joyfully around God's choice.
- How does the threat from Nahash set the stage for Saul's first act as king?
- What is the significance of the Spirit coming upon Saul before he acts?
- How does Saul respond to those who had earlier despised him, and what does this reveal?
- Why does Samuel lead the people to Gilgal to renew the kingdom after the victory?
- How can you respond with mercy and gratitude rather than vengeance after God gives you a victory?
- Nahash's cruel demand creates a crisis that gives Saul the chance to prove himself (11:1-4). The threat to Jabesh-gilead becomes the occasion for God to act through his newly anointed king and unite the nation.
- The Spirit comes mightily on Saul and kindles his anger before he rallies Israel (11:6). The narrative attributes Saul's effective leadership to God's empowering Spirit, not merely his own initiative or temper.
- Saul refuses to execute his former critics, saying the Lord has worked deliverance that day (11:12-13). His mercy shows generosity and gratitude, attributing the victory to God rather than using it for personal revenge.
- Samuel calls them to Gilgal to renew the kingdom and confirm Saul before the Lord (11:14-15). The fresh victory provides a fitting moment to unite the people in worship and joyful loyalty to God's chosen king.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to recall a success or vindication and consider how to respond with humility, mercy, and thanks to God. As leader, point to the deliverance won for us in Christ as the pattern.