1 Samuel 11 - Saul's First Military Victory

Previously in 1 Samuel, we saw Saul proclaimed as king before the people.  He was chosen by lot to indicate the Lord’s calling on his life.  Saul initially hid among the equipment, but when they found him, they brought him up in front of the people.  He stood head and shoulders above them, and when the people saw him, they shouted, “long live the king!” There were some rebels among them who said, “how can this man save us?”  However, Saul held his peace and returned to his home in Gibeah.  I do want to say, I think it is interesting the Lord chose Israel’s first king out of the city in which one of the worst crimes in their nation’s history took place.  I believe this is due to the Lord’s redemptive nature: He is good at bringing good out of bad situations.

              After this, Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabish Gilead.  Nahash means snake or serpent, and this will turn out to be a fitting name for him.  Jephthah (one of the previous judges of Israel) had defeated the Ammonites about 80 years earlier, so it could be Nahash had a score to settle.  The inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were the ones in which all the men and married women were slaughtered to provide wives for the tribe of Benjamin in the matter of the Levite and his murdered concubine.  It could be they were still in a weakened state because of this, and they asked Nahash to make a covenant with them.  Nahash told them his covenant with them would be that he would put out all their right eyes.  It was not exactly an appealing offer, but was better than dying in battle.  It was customary for a soldier to hold a shield in his left hand and a sword in his right, so not having a right eye would have rendered the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead worthless in battle.  Never covenant or compromise with the devil, folks.  He’s cruel and merciless, and his end is to see us destroyed.  If he cannot destroy us because we are believers in Jesus Christ, he will try to make us useless for the Kingdom of God.  They responded to give them seven days to seek help from Israel, and if they could not find help, they would come out to him.  Nahash agreed to this, probably thinking they would be unable to find help in time.

              So, the messengers came to Gibeah and told the people what Nahash intended to do, and the people lifted up their voices and wept.  While this was happening, Saul was coming in from the field with the herd.  The new king was not sitting idle waiting for something to happen, nor was he busy scheming how to build his new empire, but was busy working, waiting for the Lord’s direction for what to do next.  Saul should be commended for this, and we would be wise to do likewise, patiently doing what we know we are supposed to do while waiting on the Lord’s leading for more direction.  He asked why the people were weeping, and the men of Jabesh told him the news.  After this, the Spirit of God came upon him, and it states his anger was greatly aroused.  The Scriptures are full of warnings not to be quick to anger or wrathful, but this appears to be a situation of righteous indignation toward the situation that was inspired by the Lord.  Even in this however, we are to use self-control.  Anger is an emotion just like any other emotion God has given us, and when used correctly, can be a motivator to get the right things done.  Guzek writes, “Saul’s anger was not out of a personal sense of hurt or offense, but out of a righteous concern for the cause of the LORD among His people.”  Also, since these were the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, they would have been part of Saul’s lineage.  Then Saul took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them with messengers throughout all the territories of Israel.  He told them that whoever did not go out to battle with Saul and Samuel, the same would be done to his oxen.  Saul meant business, and he wanted the people to know it.

              The fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.  Saul numbered them at 300 thousand from Israel, and 30 thousand from the tribe of Judah.  He had quickly gone from farmer to commander of an army of 330 thousand men, but the Spirit of God is able to make an expert out of someone without experience.  They told the messengers to go back to Jabesh Gilead, and to tell them they would have help by the time the sun is hot tomorrow.  When the men of Jabesh heard it, they were glad.  They told Nahash that they would come out to him tomorrow, and he could do to them whatever seemed good to him (not saying anything about the help that was on the way).

              The next day, Saul divided the men into three companies, thus showing he had thought out his military strategy beforehand.  They came into the midst of the Ammonite camp during the morning watch (between 2:00 and 6:00 AM, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day.  Those of them that survived were scattered so that not two of them were left together.  This was a decisive battle for Saul as a new king.

The people then said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death,” but Saul responded, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel.”  Again, Saul is exercising wisdom here: as king, it would not necessarily have been wrong for him to put to death individuals who were a genuine threat to the kingdom, but the Lord had accomplished a great victory that day that would likely silence any opposition.  Not giving someone what they deserve is what the Bible refers to as mercy.  God has been merciful to us, and He wants us to show mercy to others, especially in a position of leadership.  Solomon wrote in Proverbs, “Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.” (20:28) James also writes, “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Next, Samuel said to the people that they should go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom there.  Gilgal was the place where Joshua sanctified the people after entering the Promise Land.  So, they all went to Gilgal, and they made Saul king before the Lord.   Now the entire nation was rallying behind Saul after his victory over the Ammonites and his kindness toward the people.  Saul had had an opportunity to prove himself to them, and that he did, in a good way.  He did achieve victory, but he acknowledged it was the Lord’s doing, and this humility also allowed him to show mercy to his enemies who were now silenced.  In the next chapter, Samuel will give a speech at Saul’s coronation, and we will see more of a testament to Samuel’s incredible character and devotion to the Lord and the Lord’s people.