1 Sam 11:1-15 · Read 7 min · think and write 15 min
In the last lesson, Saul was made king at Mizpah. “Saul also went to his house in Gibeah; and the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched” (1 Sam 10:26). “But certain worthless fellows said, ‘How could this man save us?’ They despised him, and brought him no tribute. But he held his peace” (1 Sam 10:27).
This lesson reads what happened after that.
1Then 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.”
2Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out. I will make this dishonor all Israel.”
3The 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.”
4Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people, then all the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5Behold, 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.
6God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burned hot.
7He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, then 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 the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
8He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9They said to the messengers who came, “Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.’” The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.”
11On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle 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.
12The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”
13Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel.”
14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”
15All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Right eyes. “Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead” (v. 1). He said: “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out. I will make this dishonor all Israel” (v. 2). The elders of Jabesh asked for seven days: “if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you” (v. 3).
Out of the field. “Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people, then all the people lifted up their voice and wept” (v. 4). “Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, ‘What ails the people that they weep?’” (v. 5).
God’s Spirit came mightily. “God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burned hot” (v. 6). He cut a yoke of oxen in pieces and sent them throughout Israel; “The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man” (v. 7).
By the time the sun is hot. They told the messengers: “Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued” (v. 9). “On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day” (v. 11).
No man shall be put to death. “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!’” (v. 12). In the last lesson, certain worthless fellows had said, “How could this man save us?” (1 Sam 10:27). “Saul said, ‘No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel’” (v. 13).
At Gilgal. “Then Samuel said to the people, ‘Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there’” (v. 14). “All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly” (v. 15). What Samuel said to the people that day at Gilgal is in Samuel, Lesson 4.
The book of Judges tells of such things more than once: “When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them” (Judg 3:9); “The LORD’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war” (Judg 3:10).
Readers can see this: that day the people in Gibeah “lifted up their voice and wept” (v. 4), and “God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul” (v. 6); after the victory, what Saul said was, “today the LORD has rescued Israel” (v. 13).
Perhaps someone once looked down on you and said you couldn’t do it; later the thing was done, and the people around you, feeling it on your behalf, want you to ‘get your own back.’ Perhaps you yourself still feel the sting.
This lesson does not say that those who looked down on you need not admit they were wrong; nor does it say that you are wrong to feel the sting. What it shows you is this: on the day of victory, when the people wanted the doubters brought out, Saul said: “No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel” (v. 13). A psalm says: “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Ps 3:8).
This week: Think of something that has recently been done. This week, take a few minutes to write down the help from God that you can see in it. If you think of someone who once looked down on you, you can also pray for them once (there is no need to tell them).
Scripture: World English Bible.