1 Samuel 11:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you."

NIV: Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you."

NASB: Now Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, 'Make a covenant with us and we will serve you.'

CSB: Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you."

NLT: About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. 'Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,' they pleaded.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

First Samuel 11:1–11 follows the selection of Saul as Israel's king with a sudden attack on an Israelite city. The king of the Ammonites will only spare Jabesh-gilead if the people allow him to gouge out their right eyes. Saul, empowered by the Holy Spirit, rallies all of Israel to go to battle with him. The huge Israelite army musters near Jabesh and attacks the Ammonite camp before dawn. The Ammonites are slaughtered, and the survivors run for their lives. Jabesh-gilead is saved.

Saul calls for all Israelites to join him in battle against the Ammonites who have laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. Nahash, the Ammonite king, has threatened to gouge out the right eyes of the people of Jabesh if they want a treaty with him. Instead, Saul arrives with an enormous Israelite army and slaughters the Ammonites. Samuel calls for the nation to gather at Gilgal for a religious celebration; there, they officially reaffirm Saul's rule as Israel's king.

God allowed Israel to demand a king (1 Samuel 8:19–22) and appointed Saul to the role (1 Samuel 9:15–16). This seems to be followed very soon by a crisis. Constant enemies of Israel, the Ammonites (Deuteronomy 23:3–6), lay siege to a border town. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Saul leads a massive army to rout the invaders. Samuel then arranges a ceremony where the people reaffirm that Saul is indeed king. Saul would have further success against the Philistines (1 Samuel 13—14). But his rule will decay until David (1 Samuel 16:13) replaces him.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.