Saul Rescues Jabesh-Gilead

An Ammonite king threatened to gouge out the right eye of every man in Jabesh-gilead. Israel's new king answered by mustering the nation and breaking the siege by morning.

Soon after Saul was chosen king, Nahash the Ammonite besieged Jabesh-gilead east of the Jordan. When the men of the city asked for terms, Nahash agreed only on condition that he thrust out every man's right eye as a reproach on all Israel. The elders won seven days' respite and sent messengers, who reached Gibeah of Saul. The Spirit of God came upon Saul; he cut a yoke of oxen in pieces and sent them through Israel, warning that the same would be done to the oxen of any man who did not follow Saul and Samuel. Three hundred and thirty thousand men gathered at Bezek. Dividing them into three companies, Saul struck the Ammonite camp in the morning watch and scattered them so that no two were left together. Saul refused to punish those who had doubted him, saying the LORD had wrought salvation that day, and at Gilgal the people renewed the kingdom and made him king before the LORD.

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Details

Era: United Kingdom
Category: United Kingdom
Participants: Israel (Saul) vs. Ammon (Nahash)
Outcome: Ammonites scattered, Saul confirmed as king at Gilgal
Divine Intervention: Yes

Key Chapters

1 Samuel 11 Saul Rescues Jabesh-Gilead 3 min read Nahash's cruel terms bring Jabesh to the edge of despair, and the people of Gibe...

Key Passages

The Threat of Nahash

1 Samuel 11:1-5

Nahash's cruel terms bring Jabesh to the edge of despair, and the people of Gibeah weep when they hear the news.

T¹hen 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.

The Spirit of God Came upon Saul

1 Samuel 11:6-11

Stirred by God's Spirit, Saul rallies all Israel and breaks the siege in a single morning.

A⁶nd 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.

Renewing the Kingdom at Gilgal

1 Samuel 11:12-15

Saul gives God the credit and shows mercy to his critics, and the nation rejoices before the LORD at Gilgal.

A¹²nd 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.