FRAMEWORKS:
1 Samuel 11: Saul
Rescues Jabesh
& is confirmed as King
v.1-3
Jabesh comes under threat but pleads for time
v.4-6
Saul hears and the Spirit comes on him
v.7-11
Saul calls out Israel and delivers Jabesh
v.12-15
Saul Confirmed as King at Gilgal
v.1-3
Jabesh comes under threat but pleads for time
v.1
Nahash
the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. [some
miles to the east of the River Jordan] And
all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and
we will be subject to you.”
v.2
But
Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only
on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of
you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”
v.3
The
elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send
messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we
will surrender to you.”
[Notes:
The
Ammonites were a people to the east who had been protected when
Israel advanced to take the Promised Land [see Deut 2] but who
subsequently were a thorn in Israel's side. Now this Ammonite
leader and his men attacked Jabesh. Long back they had objected
to Israel taking the land to the east of the Jordan [see Judg
11:12,13]. Now they come again as a force that Jabesh can't oppose
under siege. The inhabitants ask to make a treaty but Nahash,
perhaps knowing it will be unacceptable, uses it as an excuse
to continue blockading Jabesh, and talks about gouging out eyes.
The inhabitants ask for seven day's grace.]
v.4-6
Saul hears and the Spirit comes on him
v.4
When
the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms
to the people, they all wept aloud.
v.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.
v.6
When
Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully
upon him, and he burned with anger.
[Notes:
The
word gets back to Gibeah [north of Jerusalem] where Saul is and
when he hears of it, the Spirit of the Lord comes on him.]
v.7-11
Saul calls out Israel and delivers Jabesh
v.7
He
took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces
by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will
be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.”
Then the terror of the Lord
fell on the
people, and they came out together as one.
v.8 When
Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three
hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.
v.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.
v.10
They
said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and
you can do to us whatever you like.”
v.11
The
next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the
last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites
and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived
were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
[Notes:
Saul
thus calls out Israel who gather in numbers at Bezek [about 8
miles west of the Jordan] and they go and attack and rout the
Ammonites.]
v.12-15
Saul Confirmed as King at Gilgal
v.12
The
people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul
reign over us?' Turn these men over to us so that we may put them
to death.”
v.13
But
Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the
Lord
has rescued Israel.”
v.14 Then
Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there
renew the kingship.”
v.15 So
all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence
of the Lord.
There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord,
and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.
[Notes:
The
effect of this victory raises Saul's status and Samuel instructs
a more formal recognising him as king at Gilgal.]
CONTINUE
TO CHAPTER 12