1 Samuel 11:1-15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:8

And when he numbered them at Bezek ,.... Which was the place appointed to meet at, the same with that in Judges 1:4 ; see Gill on Judges 1:4 though some take the word to be an appellative, and not, the proper name of a place, and render it, "with a stone"; with which he numbered, taking a stone from each, and laying them on a heap, and then telling them F21 Vid. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 22. 2. & Gloss. in ib. ; so Bizakion signifies little stones F23 Suidas in voce βιζακιων ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:9

And they said unto the messengers that came ,.... From Jabeshgilead, that is, Saul and Samuel said to them, as follows: thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead : when they returned unto them, as they were now upon the departure: tomorrow, by that time the sun be hot ; when it smites with the greatest heat, as at noon: this morrow seems not to be the next from their return home, or going from Saul, but the morrow after they were got home, and should deliver the message to those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:10

Therefore the men of Jabesh said ,.... To Nahash the Ammonite: tomorrow we will come out unto you ; meaning if they had no help, which they were well assured they should have; but this condition they expressed not, which they were not obliged to, but left him to conclude they had no hope of any, the messengers being returned, and the next being the last of the seven days' respite; and by this artifice the Ammonites were secure, and not at all upon their guard against an approaching... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:11

And it was so on the morrow ,.... After the messengers were returned, and delivered their message, and the men of Jabeshgilead had given the Ammonites reason to expect that they would come out to them according to their agreement: that Saul put the people into three companies ; or "heads" F1 ראשים "capita", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.; , under so many commanders, assigning to each their number, if equally, 110,000 in each, as Gideon divided his three hundred into three companies,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:12

And the people said unto Samuel ,.... By which it seems that Samuel accompanied Saul in this expedition; though it is somewhat difficult to account for it, that a man of his years should be able to attend so quick a march that Saul made; it may be, therefore, that he might follow after him gently, and meet him quickly after the battle was fought, when the people made the following speech to him: who is he that said, shall Saul reign over us ? is such a mean inexperienced man fit to rule... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:13

And Saul said ,.... Preventing Samuel from giving an answer, being ready to forgive injuries; as it was in his power as a king, and him only, to pardon those persons that treated him in so ill a manner, and it was policy so to do, especially in the beginning of his reign; and it plainly appears that this temper did not always continue with him; though there is no reason to believe otherwise, that this was now owing to his lenity as well as his prudence: there shall not be a man put to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:14

Then said Samuel to the people ,.... Agreeing to what Saul had said, and in order to put them off from demanding the lives of the offenders, and willing to take them while they were in a good disposition: come, and let us go to Gilgal ; which was the nearest place to them, on the other side Jordan, from which they now were, and where the children of Israel first encamped when they passed over Jordan, where the tabernacle and ark first were, and an altar was built, and where meetings used... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:15

And all the people went to Gilgal ,.... Agreed to the motion, and marched along with Saul and Samuel thither: and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal ; that is, they declared him to be king there; he was inaugurated into, and invested with his office, otherwise it was God only that made him king, who only had the power of making one, see Acts 2:36 . Josephus says F5 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5.) sect. 4. that Samuel anointed him with the holy oil; and so the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 11:1

Nahash the Ammonite - In the Vulgate this chapter begins thus: Et factum est quasi post mensem , "And it came to pass about a month after." This addition appears also in the principal copies of the Septuagint; though it is wanting in the Complutensian edition, both in the Greek and Latin, and is not acknowledged by any of the Oriental versions. But it is in Josephus, and probably was inserted from him into some copies of the Septuagint, and thence into the Vulgate. It appears to be of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 11:2

I may thrust out all your right eves - This cruel condition would serve at once as a badge of their slavery, and a means of incapacitating them from being effective warriors. Theodoret observes, "He who opposes his shield to the enemy with his left hand, thereby hides his left eye, and looks at his enemy with his right eye; he therefore who plucks out that right eye makes men useless in war." Josephus gives the same reason. read more

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