1 Samuel 11:9

_AND THEY SAID UNTO THE MESSENGERS THAT CAME, THUS SHALL YE SAY UNTO THE MEN OF JABESH-GILEAD, 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._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

1-11 The first fruit of Saul's government was the rescue of Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites. To save their lives, men will part with liberty, and even consent to have their eyes put out; is it then no wisdom to part with that sin which is as dear to us as our right eye, rather than to be cast into hell-fire? See the faith and confidence of Saul, and, grounded thereon, his courage and resolution. See also his activity in this business. When the Spirit of the Lord comes upon men, it will make them expert, even without experience. When zeal for the glory of God, and love for the brethren, urge men to earnest efforts, and when God is pleased to help, great effects may speedily be produced....

The distance from Bezek to Jabesh-Gilead would perhaps be about twenty miles....

CONFIRMATION OF SAUL IN THE KINGDOM (1Sa 11:1-15; 1 Samuel 12:1.). EXPOSITION THE DEFEAT OF THE AMMONITES (1 Samuel 11:1). 1 SAMUEL 11:1, 1 SAMUEL 11:2. NAHASH THE AMMONITE. The same name is found in 2 Samuel 10:2 as that of the father of Hanun, wh

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 that sent them, 1 Samuel 11:10 and so Josephus z says, it was on the third day the assistance was promised them: YE SHALL HAVE HELP; Saul with his army by that time would come and raise the siege: and the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; what Saul had promised, and what a numerous army he had raised, and had now upon the march for the

4. THE KING'S FIRST VICTORY AND THE RENEWAL OF THE KINGDOM AT GILGAL CHAPTER 11 _ 1. The victory over Ammon (1 Samuel 11:1)_ 2. The kingdom renewed (1 Samuel 11:12) Nahash the Ammonite encamped against Jabesh-gilead. Nahash means “the serpent.” This invasion took place before Saul had been made king. From chapter 12:12 we learn that it really was the occasion why Israel demanded a king. In despair the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead offered to make a covenant with this old foe of Israel, whom Jephthah had so successfully fought. Ammon represents typically the enemy of God's people characterized by evil doctrines and perversions of the truth of God. How often compromise is made with the most subtle errors which emanate from Nahash, the serpent! But he makes his condition,

1 SAMUEL 11. SAUL DELIVERS JABESH-GILEAD AND IS MADE KING. (J) continues the ancient narrative, sequel to 1 Samuel 10:16. Putting aside 1 Samuel 11:12, inserted by an editor to connect this chapter with the Deuteronomic document, the rest shows clearly that the writer knew nothing of any previous public appointment of Saul to be king: when the messengers come to Gibeah, they do not ask for Saul, and no one thinks of him until he himself intervenes. 1 Samuel 8 is probably a later addition; the reference to Judah, before David comes upon the scene, and the exaggerated numbers, are not characteristic of the earlier documents in _Samuel._ 1 SAMUEL 11:1. About a month after Saul's interview with S

HELP. salvation, or deliverance....

_ye shall have help_ Or, DELIVERANCE. The same word is translated "salvation" in 1 Samuel 11:13, and the cognate verb "save" in 1 Samuel 11:3....

JABESH-GILEAD DELIVERED. 1 SAMUEL 11:4-11 4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: 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. 6 And 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, a