Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:1-4

Bird's-eye view

In 1 Samuel 11, we are thrown into the first great crisis of Saul’s reign. Israel has demanded a king to be like the other nations, and God, in His permissive providence, has given them one. Saul has been anointed by Samuel and privately designated, but to many, he is still just Kish’s son from Gibeah. This chapter is the public validation of his kingship. The Ammonite aggression is not just a geopolitical squabble; it is a direct challenge to the honor of God and His people. The brutal terms offered by Nahash are designed to bring reproach on all Israel, and in so doing, to test whether there is a savior in Israel. The Spirit of God will answer that challenge emphatically through Saul, demonstrating that God can save by whomever He pleases, even through a king the people demanded sinfully.

This incident serves as Saul’s final exam, the one that proves his anointing before all the people. The weeping of the people at Gibeah shows their helplessness, and it is into this despair that God’s chosen instrument will step. The contrast is stark: the people’s fear and the Spirit-empowered fury of their new king. This is how God establishes thrones and authorities. He brings His people to the end of their own strength and then raises up a deliverer. This entire event is a picture of our own salvation. We are besieged by an enemy who wants to humiliate and disable us, to put out our right eye, so that we can no longer look to God in faith. And we, left to ourselves, can only weep. But God sends a champion, a king, who fights on our behalf.

Outline

Context In 1 Samuel

This chapter follows directly on the heels of Saul’s selection as king. In chapter 10, Samuel anointed Saul, gave him signs to confirm God’s choice, and presented him to the people at Mizpah. However, the chapter ended on a note of division. While some hailed the king, certain "worthless fellows" despised him and brought him no present (1 Sam 10:27). Saul, at this point, held his peace. His kingship was declared but not yet demonstrated. It lacked a unifying, national crisis to galvanize the people behind him and prove his divine calling.

The siege of Jabesh-gilead provides that very crisis. It is the crucible in which Saul’s leadership is forged and displayed for all to see. The threat from Nahash the Ammonite is not random; the Ammonites were perennial enemies of Israel, descended from Lot, and they laid claim to territory east of the Jordan. This event moves Saul from being a king in name to being a king in deed, and it sets the stage for the formal confirmation of his kingdom at Gilgal in the latter part of the chapter.

Key Issues

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

1 And Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Cut a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

The story opens with the raw reality of ancient warfare. Nahash, whose name means "serpent," comes up against Jabesh-gilead. This is not a polite diplomatic dispute. This is an army surrounding a city, cutting off supplies, with the intent to conquer or destroy. The enemy is at the gates. The men of Jabesh-gilead immediately sue for peace, but notice the terms. They offer to enter into a covenant of servitude. "Cut a covenant with us, and we will serve you." This is the response of a people without a king, without a deliverer. They see no hope of victory, so they immediately offer to become vassals. Their proposal is a pragmatic surrender. They are willing to trade their freedom for their lives. This is what sin does; it convinces you that slavery is a reasonable alternative to fighting. They had forgotten that they were already in a covenant with Yahweh, who had promised to be their king and deliverer.

2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will cut it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it a reproach on all Israel.”

The serpent shows his fangs. Nahash agrees to a covenant, but on terms of utter humiliation. He doesn't just want their service; he wants to mark them, to maim them, to make them a living monument to his power and Israel's weakness. The gouging of the right eye was a particularly cruel and strategic punishment. For a soldier, the left eye was often covered by the shield, making the right eye essential for archery and combat. Maiming the right eye would render them useless for war. But Nahash's stated motive is deeper than military strategy. He wants to make it "a reproach on all Israel." This is not just about conquering a town; it is about shaming a nation. He is mocking their God. He is saying, "Your God cannot protect you. Your new king, wherever he is, is powerless." Every spiritual enemy, from the serpent in the garden to the devil in the wilderness, seeks to bring reproach upon God by tormenting His people.

3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”

The elders of Jabesh make a desperate counter-offer. They ask for a seven-day reprieve. This is a sliver of hope mixed with deep pessimism. Their words reveal their heart: "if there is no one to save us." They are not sure a savior exists. They are acting on a faint possibility. The number seven, the number of covenant completion, is significant here. They are given one week to see if their covenant with Yahweh still means anything. Nahash, in his arrogance, agrees. He is so confident in Israel's disunity and weakness that he grants them the time. He believes this will only heighten his victory, as all Israel will hear of the threat and prove unable to respond, thus magnifying the reproach. God, in His sovereignty, uses the enemy's pride to set the stage for His deliverance.

4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.

The messengers arrive at Gibeah, Saul’s hometown. And what is the response of the people? They weep. This is not the cry of repentance or the shout of faith. It is the sound of utter despair. They hear of the reproach, the impending mutilation of their kinsmen, and they see no solution. They are helpless. This is the condition of Israel under the judges, a people scattered and unable to save themselves. It is the condition of every sinner before the Spirit of God moves. The law comes, shows us our miserable state, and all we can do is weep. This weeping is the necessary prelude to salvation. God must bring us to the end of our own resources so that when deliverance comes, there is no question as to its source. The people’s weeping is the backdrop against which the Spirit-anointed king will act.