1 Samuel 11:1-11
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 11[a]
Victory over the Ammonites. 1 Nahash the Ammonite went up and camped outside of Jabesh-gilead. All of the men in Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us and we will be subject to you.” 2 But Nahash answered, “I will only make a covenant with you if I gouge out your right eyes[b] so that you might bring shame upon all of Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh answered, “Give us a reprieve of seven days so that we can send messengers all throughout the territory of Israel. If no one comes to save us, then we will surrender to you.”
4 When the messengers arrived at Gibeah, Saul’s city, and they proclaimed these things in the hearing of the people, all the people cried out and wept. 5 Saul was just then coming back from the field behind his oxen, and asked, “What is wrong that the people are weeping?” So they told him what the men from Jabesh had said.
6 When he heard this report, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Saul and he burned with rage.[c] 7 He took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces. He sent them by messengers all throughout the territory of Israel. He said, “Whoever does not follow Saul and Samuel will have this done to his oxen.” The fear of the Lord came upon the people so that they came out as if they were one man.
8 When Saul counted the Israelites who were in Bezek, there were three hundred thousand of them, and thirty thousand from Judah. 9 They said to the messengers who had come to them, “Say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, before the sun warms up, you will have help.’ ” The messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh who were elated. 10 So the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us what you see fit.”
11 The next day Saul divided his people into three groups. During the morning watch they attacked the camp of the Ammonites and continued to strike them down until the day was hot. Even those who survived were scattered, so that not two of them remained together.
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- 1 Samuel 11:1 The final part of this section, in which Samuel is not even mentioned, comes from a different tradition about Saul’s election; it speaks of his election as being reaffirmed and thus is made to harmonize with what has gone before.
- 1 Samuel 11:2 Gouge out your right eyes: the shame of this was that it would render them unfit for military service.
- 1 Samuel 11:6 Burned with rage: linking the Spirit of the Lord with Saul’s anger confirms that justifiable anger can be used by God to right a wrong, in this case, to overcome those who were persecuting the Israelites.
1 Samuel 11:1-11
King James Version
11 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 shewed 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.
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1 Samuel 11:1-11
New King James Version
Saul Saves Jabesh Gilead
11 Then (A)Nahash the Ammonite came up and [a]encamped against (B)Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, (C)“Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring (D)reproach on all Israel.”
3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to [b]save us, we will come out to you.”
4 So the messengers came (E)to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And (F)all the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, “What troubles the people, that they weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 (G)Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. 7 So he took a yoke of oxen and (H)cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, (I)“Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.”
And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out [c]with one consent. 8 When he numbered them in (J)Bezek, the children (K)of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who came, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.’ ” Then the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you.”
11 So it was, on the next day, that (L)Saul put the people (M)in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
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- 1 Samuel 11:1 besieged
- 1 Samuel 11:3 deliver
- 1 Samuel 11:7 Lit. as one man
1 Samuel 11:1-11
English Standard Version
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
11 (A)Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged (B)Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, (C)“Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, (D)that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus (E)bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days' respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” 4 When the messengers came to (F)Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, (G)and all the people wept aloud.
5 Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh. 6 (H)And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. 7 He took a yoke of oxen (I)and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, (J)“Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out (K)as one man. 8 When he mustered them at (L)Bezek, (M)the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have (N)salvation.’” When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, (O)“Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 (P)And the next day Saul put the people (Q)in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
