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.
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 Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed 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 Then Nahash H5176 the Ammonite H5984 came up, H5927 and encamped H2583 against Jabeshgilead: H3003 H1568 and all the men H582 of Jabesh H3003 said H559 unto Nahash, H5176 Make H3772 a covenant H1285 with us, and we will serve H5647 thee.
2 And Nahash H5176 the Ammonite H5984 answered H559 them, On this H2063 condition will I make H3772 a covenant with you, that I may thrust out H5365 all your right H3225 eyes, H5869 and lay H7760 it for a reproach H2781 upon all Israel. H3478
3 And the elders H2205 of Jabesh H3003 said H559 unto him, Give us seven H7651 days' H3117 respite, H7503 that we may send H7971 messengers H4397 unto all the coasts H1366 of Israel: H3478 and then, if there be no man to save H3467 us, we will come out H3318 to thee.
4 Then came H935 the messengers H4397 to Gibeah H1390 of Saul, H7586 and told H1696 the tidings H1697 in the ears H241 of the people: H5971 and all the people H5971 lifted up H5375 their voices, H6963 and wept. H1058
5 And, behold, Saul H7586 came H935 after H310 the herd H1241 out of the field; H7704 and Saul H7586 said, H559 What aileth the people H5971 that they weep? H1058 And they told H5608 him the tidings H1697 of the men H582 of Jabesh. H3003
6 And the Spirit H7307 of God H430 came H6743 upon Saul H7586 when he heard H8085 those tidings, H1697 and his anger H639 was kindled H2734 greatly. H3966
7 And he took H3947 a yoke H6776 of oxen, H1241 and hewed them in pieces, H5408 and sent H7971 them throughout all the coasts H1366 of Israel H3478 by the hands H3027 of messengers, H4397 saying, H559 Whosoever cometh not forth H3318 after H310 Saul H7586 and after H310 Samuel, H8050 so shall it be done H6213 unto his oxen. H1241 And the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 fell H5307 on the people, H5971 and they came out H3318 with one H259 consent. H376
8 And when he numbered H6485 them in Bezek, H966 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand, H505 and the men H376 of Judah H3063 thirty H7970 thousand. H505
9 And they said H559 unto the messengers H4397 that came, H935 Thus shall ye say H559 unto the men H376 of Jabeshgilead, H3003 H1568 To morrow, H4279 by that time the sun H8121 be hot, H2527 ye shall have help. H8668 And the messengers H4397 came H935 and shewed H5046 it to the men H582 of Jabesh; H3003 and they were glad. H8055
10 Therefore the men H582 of Jabesh H3003 said, H559 To morrow H4279 we will come out H3318 unto you, and ye shall do H6213 with us all that seemeth H5869 good H2896 unto you.
11 And it was so on the morrow, H4283 that Saul H7586 put H7760 the people H5971 in three H7969 companies; H7218 and they came H935 into the midst H8432 of the host H4264 in the morning H1242 watch, H821 and slew H5221 the Ammonites H5983 until the heat H2527 of the day: H3117 and it came to pass, that they which remained H7604 were scattered, H6327 so that two H8147 of them were not left H7604 together. H3162
12 And the people H5971 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 Who is he that said, H559 Shall Saul H7586 reign H4427 over us? bring H5414 the men, H582 that we may put them to death. H4191
13 And Saul H7586 said, H559 There shall not a man H376 be put to death H4191 this day: H3117 for to day H3117 the LORD H3068 hath wrought H6213 salvation H8668 in Israel. H3478
14 Then said H559 Samuel H8050 to the people, H5971 Come, H3212 and let us go H3212 to Gilgal, H1537 and renew H2318 the kingdom H4410 there.
15 And all the people H5971 went H3212 to Gilgal; H1537 and there they made Saul H7586 king H4427 before H6440 the LORD H3068 in Gilgal; H1537 and there they sacrificed H2076 sacrifices H2077 of peace offerings H8002 before H6440 the LORD; H3068 and there Saul H7586 and all the men H582 of Israel H3478 rejoiced H8055 greatly. H3966
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.
1 And Nahash the Ammonite cometh up, and encampeth against Jabesh-Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh say unto Nahash, `Make with us a covenant, and we serve thee.'
2 And Nahash the Ammonite saith unto them, `For this I covenant with you, by picking out to you every right eye -- and I have put it a reproach on all Israel.'
3 And the elders of Jabesh say to him, `Let us alone seven days, and we send messengers into all the border of Israel: and if there is none saving us -- then we have come out unto thee.'
4 And the messengers come to Gibeah of Saul, and speak the words in the ears of the people, and all the people lift up their voice and weep;
5 and lo, Saul hath come after the herd out of the field, and Saul saith, `What -- to the people, that they weep?' and they recount to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly,
7 and he taketh a couple of oxen, and cutteth them in pieces, and sendeth through all the border of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, `He who is not coming out after Saul and after Samuel -- thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth on the people, and they come out as one man.
8 And he inspecteth them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they say to the messengers who are coming, `Thus do ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye have safety -- by the heat of the sun;' and the messengers come and declare to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoice;
10 and the men of Jabesh say `to the Ammonites', `To-morrow we come out unto you, and ye have done to us according to all that `is' good in your eyes.'
11 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Saul putteth the people in three detachments, and they come into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch, and smite Ammon till the heat of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered, and there have not been left of them two together.
12 And the people say unto Samuel, `Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.'
13 And Saul saith, `There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.'
14 And Samuel saith unto the people, `Come and we go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there;'
15 and all the people go to Gilgal, and cause Saul to reign there before Jehovah in Gilgal, and sacrifice there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul rejoiceth -- and all the men of Israel -- very greatly.
1 And 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 thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this [condition] will I treat with you, that I thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Allow us seven days, and we will send messengers into all the districts of Israel; and if there be no man to deliver us, we will come out to thee.
4 And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told these words in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5 And behold, Saul came after the oxen from the field; and Saul said, What [aileth] the people that they weep? And they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God came 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 throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen! And the fear 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 to the messengers that had come, Thus shall ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye shall have deliverance when the sun is hot. And the messengers came and informed the men of Jabesh-Gilead; and they were glad.
10 And the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out to you, and ye may do with us according to all that is good in your sight.
11 And it came to pass the next day that Saul set the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote Ammon until the heat of the day: and it came to pass that they who remained were scattered, and not two of them were left together.
12 And the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 But Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah has wrought deliverance in Israel.
14 And Samuel said 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 sacrificed peace-offerings before Jehovah. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly.
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 will I 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' respite, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to you.
4 Then came the messengers 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 forth 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 shall you 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 It was so on the next day, that 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: and it happened, that 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 the 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 said Samuel 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 Then about a month after this, Nahash the Ammonite came up and put his forces in position for attacking Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make an agreement with us and we will be your servants.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, I will make an agreement with you on this condition, that all your right eyes are put out; so that I may make it a cause of shame to all Israel.
3 Then the responsible men of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days, so that we may send men to every part of Israel: and then, if no one comes to our help, we will come out to you.
4 So they sent representatives to Saul's town Gibeah, and these gave the news to the people: and all the people gave themselves to weeping.
5 Now Saul came from the field, driving the oxen before him; and he said, Why are the people weeping? And they gave him word of what the men of Jabesh had said.
6 And at their words, the spirit of God came on Saul with power, and he became very angry.
7 And he took two oxen and, cutting them up, sent them through all the land of Israel by the hand of runners, saying, If any man does not come out after Saul and Samuel, this will be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord came on the people and they came out like one man.
8 And he had them numbered in Bezek: the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 Then he said to the representatives who had come, Say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is high, you will be made safe. And the representatives came and gave the news to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 So the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.
11 Now on the day after, Saul put the people into three bands, and in the morning watch they came to the tents of the Ammonites, and they went on attacking them till the heat of the day: and those who were not put to death were put to flight in every direction, so that no two of them were together.
12 And the people said to Samuel, Who was it who said, Is Saul to be our king? give the men up, so that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, Not a man is to be put to death today: for today the Lord has made Israel safe.
14 Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and there make the kingdom strong in the hands of Saul.
15 So all the people went to Gilgal; and there in Gilgal they made Saul king before the Lord; and peace-offerings were offered before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were glad with great joy.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 11
Commentary on 1 Samuel 11 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Saul's Victory over the Ammonites. - Even after the election by lot at Mizpeh, Saul did not seize upon the reins of government at once, but returned to his father's house in Gibeah, and to his former agricultural occupation; not, however, merely from personal humility and want of ambition, but rather from a correct estimate of the circumstances. The monarchy was something so new in Israel, that the king could not expect a general and voluntary recognition of his regal dignity and authority, especially after the conduct of the worthless people mentioned in 1 Samuel 10:27, until he had answered their expectations from a king (1 Samuel 8:6, 1 Samuel 8:20), and proved himself a deliverer of Israel from its foes by a victorious campaign. But as Jehovah had chosen him ruler over his people without any seeking on his part, he would wait for higher instructions to act, before he entered upon the government. The opportunity was soon given him.
1 Samuel 11:1-5
Nahash, the king of the Ammonites (cf. 1 Samuel 12:12; 2 Samuel 10:2), attacked the tribes on the east of the Jordan, no doubt with the intention of enforcing the claim to part of Gilead asserted by his ancestor in the time of Jephthah (Judges 11:13), and besieged Jabesh in Gilead,
( Note: The time of this campaign is not mentioned in the Hebrew text. But it is very evident from 1 Samuel 12:12, where the Israelites are said to have desired a king, when they saw that Nahash had come against them, that Nahash had invaded Gilead before the election of Saul as king. The Septuagint, however, renders the words כמחרישׁ ויהי (1 Samuel 10:27) by καὶ ἐγενήθη ὡς μετὰ μῆνα , and therefore the translators must have read כּמחדשׁ , which Ewald and Thenius would adopt as an emendation of the Hebrew text. But all the other ancient versions give the Masoretic text, viz., not only the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, but even Jerome , who renders it ille vero dissimulabat se audire . It is true that in our present Vulgate text these words are followed by et factum est quasi post mensem; but this addition has no doubt crept in from the Itala. With the general character of the Septuagint, the rendering of כמחרישׁ by ὡς μετὰ μῆνα is no conclusive proof that the word in their Hebrew Codex was כּמחדשׁ ; it simply shows that this was the interpretation which they gave to כמחריש . And Josephus (vi. 5, 1), who is also appealed to, simply establishes the fact that ὡς μετὰ μῆνα stood in the Sept. version of his day, since he made use of this version and not of the original text. Moreover, we cannot say with Ewald , that this was the last place in which the time could be overlooked; for it is perfectly evident that Nahash commenced the siege of Jabesh shortly after the election of Saul at Mizpeh, as we may infer from the verb ויּעל , when taken in connection with the fact implied in 1 Samuel 12:12, that he had commenced the war with the Israelites before this. And lastly, it is much more probable that the lxx changed כמחריש into כמחדש , than that the Hebrew readers of the Old Testament should have altered כמחדש into כמחריש , without defining the time more precisely by אחד , or some other number.)
- according to Josephus the metropolis of Gilead, and probably situated by the Wady Jabes (see at Judges 21:8); from which we may see that he must have penetrated very far into the territory of the Israelites. The inhabitants of Jabesh petitioned the Ammonites in their distress, “ Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee ;” i.e., grant us favourable terms, and we will submit.
1 Samuel 11:2
But Nahash replied, “ On this condition ( בּזאת , lit. at this price, בּ pretii) will I make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and so bring a reproach upon all Israel .” From the fact that the infinitive נקור is continued with ושׂמתּי , it is evident that the subject to נקור is Nahash, and not the Israelites, as the Syriac, Arabic, and others have rendered it. The suffix to שׂמתּיה is neuter, and refers to the previous clause: “it,” i.e., the putting out of the right eye. This answer on the part of Nahash shows unmistakeably that he sought to avenge upon the people of Israel the shame of the defeat which Jephthah had inflicted upon the Ammonites.
1 Samuel 11:3-4
The elders of Jabesh replied: “ Leave us seven days, that we may send messengers into all the territory of Israel; and if there is no one who saves us, we will come out to thee ,” i.e., will surrender to thee. This request was granted by Nahash, because he was not in a condition to take the town at once by storm, and also probably because, in the state of internal dissolution into which Israel had fallen at that time, he had no expectation that any vigorous help would come to the inhabitants of Jabesh. From the fact that the messengers were to be sent into all the territory of Israel, we may conclude that the Israelites had no central government at that time, and that neither Nahash nor the Jabeshites had heard anything of the election that had taken place; and this is still more apparent from the fact that, according to 1 Samuel 11:4, their messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and laid their business before the people generally, without applying at once to Saul.
1 Samuel 11:5
Saul indeed did not hear of the matter will he came (returned home) from the field behind the oxen, and found the people weeping and lamenting at these mournful tidings. “ Behind the oxen ,” i.e., judging from the expression “yoke of oxen” in 1 Samuel 11:7, the pair of oxen with which he had been ploughing.
When the report of the messengers had been communicated to him, “ the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and his anger was kindled greatly ,” sc., at the shame which the Ammonites had resolved to bring upon all Israel.
1 Samuel 11:7
He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent (the pieces) into every possession of Israel by messengers, and said, “ Whoever cometh not forth after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen .” The introduction of Samuel's name after that of Saul, is a proof that Saul even as king still recognised the authority which Samuel possessed in Israel as the prophet of Jehovah. This symbolical act, like the cutting up of the woman in Judges 19:29, made a deep impression. “ The fear of Jehovah fell upon the people, so that they went out as one man .” By “the fear of Jehovah” we are not to understand δεῖμα πανικόν (Thenius and Böttcher), for Jehovah is not equivalent to Elohim , nor the fear of Jehovah in the sense of fear of His punishment, but a fear inspired by Jehovah. In Saul's energetic appeal the people discerned the power of Jehovah, which inspired them with fear, and impelled them to immediate obedience.
1 Samuel 11:8
Saul held a muster of the people of war, who had gathered together at (or near) Bezek , a place which was situated, according to the Onom . ( s. v. Bezek ), about seven hours to the north of Nabulus towards Beisan (see at Judges 1:4). The number assembled were 300,000 men of Israel, and 30,000 of Judah. These numbers will not appear too large, if we bear in mind that the allusion is not to a regular army, but that Saul had summoned all the people to a general levy. In the distinction drawn between the children of Judah and the children of Israel we may already discern a trace of that separation of Judah from the rest of the tribes, which eventually led to a formal secession on the part of the latter.
1 Samuel 11:9
The messengers from Jabesh, who had been waiting to see the result of Saul's appeal, were now despatched with this message to their fellow-citizens: “ To-morrow you will have help, when the sun shines hot ,” i.e., about noon.
1 Samuel 11:10
After receiving these joyful news, the Jabeshites announced to the Ammonites: “ To-morrow we will come out to you, and ye may do to us what seemeth good to you ,” - an untruth by which they hoped to assure the besiegers, so that they might be fallen upon unexpectedly by the advancing army of Saul, and thoroughly beaten.
1 Samuel 11:11
The next day Saul arranged the people in three divisions ( ראשׁים , as in Judges 7:16), who forced their way into the camp of the foe from three different sides, in the morning watch (between three and six o'clock in the morning), smote the Ammonites “ till the heat of the day ,” and routed them so completely, that those who remained were all scattered, and there were not two men left together.
Renewal of the Monarchy. - Saul had so thoroughly acted the part of a king in gaining this victory, and the people were so enthusiastic in his favour, that they said to Samuel, viz., after their return from the battle, “ Who is he that said, Saul should reign over us! ” The clause עלינוּ ימלך שׁאוּל contains a question, though it is indicated simply by the tone, and there is no necessity to alter שׁאוּל into השׁאוּל . These words refer to the exclamation of the worthless people in 1 Samuel 10:27. “ Bring the men (who spoke in this manner), that we may put them to death .” But Saul said, “ There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah hath wrought salvation in Israel ;” and proved thereby not only his magnanimity, but also his genuine piety.
(Note: “Not only signifying that the public rejoicing should not be interrupted, but reminding them of the clemency of God, and urging that since Jehovah had shown such clemency upon that day, that He had overlooked their sins, and given them a glorious victory, it was only right that they should follow His example, and forgive their neighbours' sins without bloodshed.” - Seb. Schmidt .)
Samuel turned this victory to account, by calling upon the people to go with him to Gilgal, and there renew the monarchy. In what the renewal consisted is not clearly stated; but it is simply recorded in 1 Samuel 11:15 that “ they (the whole people) made Saul king there before the Lord in Gilgal .” Many commentators have supposed that he was anointed afresh, and appeal to David's second anointing (2 Samuel 2:4 and 2 Samuel 5:3). But David's example merely proves as Seb. Schmidt has correctly observed, that the anointing could be repeated under certain circumstances; but it does not prove that it was repeated, or must have been repeated, in the case of Saul. If the ceremony of anointing had been performed, it would no doubt have been mentioned, just as it is in 2 Samuel 2:4 and 2 Samuel 5:3. But ימלכוּ does not mean “they anointed,” although the lxx have rendered it ἔχρισε Σαμουήλ , according to their own subjective interpretation. The renewal of the monarchy may very well have consisted in nothing more than a solemn confirmation of the election that had taken place at Mizpeh, in which Samuel once more laid before both king and people the right of the monarchy, receiving from both parties in the presence of the Lord the promise to observe this right, and sealing the vow by a solemn sacrifice. The only sacrifices mentioned are zebachim shelamim , i.e., peace-offerings. These were thank-offerings, which were always connected with a sacrificial meal, and when presented on joyous occasions, formed a feast of rejoicing for those who took part, since the sacrificial meal shadowed forth a living and peaceful fellowship with the Lord. Gilgal is in all probability the place where Samuel judged the people every year ( 1 Samuel 7:16). But whether it was the Gilgal in the plain of the Jordan, or Jiljilia on higher ground to the south-west of Shiloh, it is by no means easy to determine. The latter is favoured, apart from the fact that Samuel did not say “Let us go down,” but simply “Let us go” (cf. 1 Samuel 10:8), by the circumstance that the solemn ceremony took place after the return from the war at Jabesh; since it is hardly likely that the people would have gone down into the valley of the Jordan to Gilgal, whereas Jiljilia was close by the road from Jabesh to Gibeah and Ramah.