Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Samuel 11

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Nahash offers them of Jabesh-gilead a reproachful condition.
4  They send messengers, and are delivered by Saul.
12  Saul thereby is confirmed, and his kingdom renewed.
Verse 1

Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
Nahash
In the Vulgate this chapter begins thus: Et factum est quasi post mensem, "And it came to pass about a month after;" which is also the reading of the principal copies of the Septuagint; and is also found in Josephus, though it appears to be of little authority.
12:12, Judges 10:7, 11:8-33
Jabesh-gilead
31:11-13, Judges 21:8,10-25
Make
Genesis 26:28, Exodus 23:32, Deuteronomy 23:3, 1 Kings 20:34, Job 41:4, Isaiah 36:16, Ezekiel 17:13
Verse 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.
On this
2 Kings 18:31
thrust
Judges 16:21, Exodus 3:6, Proverbs 12:10, Jeremiah 39:7
reproach
17:26, Genesis 34:14
Verse 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.
Give us
Heb. Forbear us.
Verse 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.
to Gibeah
10:26, 14:2, 15:34, 2 Samuel 21:6
lifted up
30:4, Judges 2:4, 21:2, Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:26, Galatians 6:2, Hebrews 13:3
Verse 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.
after the herd
9:1, 1 Kings 19:19, Psalms 78:71
What aileth
Genesis 21:17, Judges 18:23, Isaiah 22:1
Verse 6

And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
Spirit of God
10:10, 16:13, Judges 3:10, 6:34, 11:29, 13:25, 14:6
his anger
Exodus 32:19, Numbers 12:3, Mark 3:5, Ephesians 4:26
Verse 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.
he took
The sending the pieces of the oxen was an act similar to that of the Levite, Jud 19:29, where see the Note. An eminent Scotch writer describes the rites, incantations, and imprecations used prior to the fiery cross being circulated, to summon the rough warriors of ancient times to the service of their chief; and he alludes to this ancient custom, which in comparatively modern times, has been practised in Scotland; and proves that a similar punishment of death, or destruction of their houses, for disobeying the summons, was inflicted by the ancient Scandinavians, as recorded by Olaus Magnus, in his History of the Goths. This bears a striking similarity to the ancient custom of the Israelites. With the Highlanders, a goat was slain; with the Israelites, an ox. The exhibition of a cross, stained with the blood of the sacrificed animal, was the summons of the former, while part of the animal, was the mandate of the latter. Disobedience in one nation was punished with the death of themselves or oxen, and burning of their dwellings in the other.
hewed
Judges 19:29
Whosoever
Judges 21:5-11
the fear
Genesis 35:5, 2 Chronicles 14:14, 17:10
with one consent
Heb. as one man.
Judges 20:1
Verse 8

And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
Bezek
Judges 1:4,5
the children
13:15, 15:4, 2 Samuel 24:9, 2 Chronicles 17:12-19
Verse 9

And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, 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.
help
or, deliverance.
Psalms 18:17
Verse 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.
To-morrow
2,3
Verse 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.
on the morrow
Genesis 22:14, Psalms 46:1
in three
Judges 7:16, 9:43
morning
Exodus 14:24
slew
2, Judges 1:7, Matthew 7:2, James 2:13
so that two
30:17,18, Judges 4:16
Verse 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.
Who is he
10:27, Psalms 21:8, Luke 19:27
Verse 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.
There shall
14:45, 2 Samuel 19:22
the Lord
19:5, Exodus 14:13,30, Psalms 44:4-8, Isaiah 59:16, 1 Corinthians 15:10
Verse 14

Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
let us go
7:16, 10:8
renew
10:24, 5:3, 1 Chronicles 12:38,39
Verse 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.
before the Lord
10:17
sacrificed
10:8, Exodus 24:5, 1 Chronicles 29:21-24
rejoiced greatly
8:19, 12:13-15,17, Hosea 13:10,11, James 4:16

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