1 Samuel 11:8-11 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:5-11

What is here related turns very much to the honour of Saul, and shows the happy fruits of that other spirit with which he was endued. Observe here, I. His humility. Though he was anointed king, and accepted by his people, yet he did not think it below him to know the state of his own flocks, but went himself to see them, and came in the evening, with his servants, after the herd out of the field, 1 Sam. 11:5. This was an evidence that he was not puffed up with his advancement, as those are... read more

John Gill

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 11:8

The children of Israel were three hundred thousand , and the men of Judah thirty thousand - This was a vast army, but the Septuagint make it even more: "All the men of Israel were ἑξακοσιας χιλιαδας , Six Hundred thousand; and the men of Judah ἑβδομηκοντα χιλιαδας , Seventy thousand." Josephus goes yet higher with the number of the Israelites: "He found the number of those whom he had gathered together to be ἑβδομηκοντα μυριαδας Seven Hundred thousand."... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 11:10

To-morrow we will come out unto you - They concealed the information they had received of Saul's promised assistance. They did come out unto them; but it was in a different manner to what the Ammonites expected. read more

Adam Clarke

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

Put the people in three companies - Intending to attack the Ammonites in three different points, and to give his own men more room to act. In the morning watch - He probably began his march in the evening, passed Jordan in the night, and reached the camp of the Ammonites by daybreak. That two of them were not left together - This proves that the rout was complete. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:4-11

The perfecting gift. The facts are— 1 . The message brought to Gibeah throws the inhabitants into grief and consternation. 2 . Saul, on hearing the tidings, is aroused by the Spirit of God to summon the nation to follow him and Samuel. 3 . The people responding to the call, help is assured to the men of Jabesh. 4 . The result is the utter defeat of the Ammonites. The effect of the appeal of the men of Jabesh on the people of Gibeah, on Saul, and subsequently on the conflict... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:8

He numbered them in Bezek . This place was in the tribe of Issachar, and must be distinguished from that mentioned in 1:3 , 1:4 , which was in Judah, and too remote from the scene of operations. And here Saul appears as the commander-in-chief; for the numbering included the forming of battalions, arranged in thousands, hundreds, and fifties, and the setting officers over them. These, naturally, were the chief men in each district. The result would be that, coming to Bezek, the appointed... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:5-11

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

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

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

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 11:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 11:10

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

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:4-11

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:8

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