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1 Samuel 11
1599 Geneva Bible
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.
Footnotes
- 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.
1 Samuel 11
New International Version
1 Samuel 11
New International Version
Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh
11 Nahash[a](A) the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead.(B) And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty(C) with us, and we will be subject to you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition(D) that I gouge(E) out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace(F) on all Israel.”
3 The elders(G) of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue(H) us, we will surrender(I) to you.”
4 When the messengers came to Gibeah(J) of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept(K) aloud. 5 Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit(L) of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen,(M) cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel,(N) proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone(O) who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.(P) 8 When Saul mustered(Q) them at Bezek,(R) the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.
9 They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. 10 They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender(S) to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”
11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions;(T) during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites(U) and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who(V) was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”
13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today,(W) for this day the Lord has rescued(X) Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal(Y) and there renew the kingship.(Z)” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal(AA) and made Saul king(AB) in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 11:1 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls gifts. Now Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely. He gouged out all their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out by Nahash king of the Ammonites, except that seven thousand men fled from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh Gilead. About a month later, 1 Nahash
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New International Version (NIV) 
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