SERIES I --- THE NATION UNITES --- LESSON 11

SAUL CONFIRMED AS KING

A MIGHTY VICTORY

From 1 Samuel 11

When Nahash the Ammonite led his forces against Jabesh-Gilead, the people of that village became frightened and asked for peace. ‘If you make a treaty with us, we will become your servants,’ they told Nahash. ‘I will make a treaty with you,’ Nahash answered. ‘But only if I gouge out your right eyes. This will bring disgrace on all Israel.’ ‘Give us seven days to find help,’ the leaders of Jabesh-Gilead said. ‘If we can’t get help, we will surrender on your terms.’ When messengers came to Gibeah, where Saul lived, the people wept aloud at the news from Jabesh-Gilead. ‘Why are all of you crying?’ Saul asked as he came in from the field with his oxen. Then the people told him about Jabesh-Gilead. When he heard the news, the Spirit of YHVH came upon Saul with great power, stirring his anger. He cut two of his oxen into pieces and sent the pieces with messengers throughout Israel. ‘Whoever does not follow Saul and Samuel into battle will have his oxen cut into pieces like this!’ the messengers reported. The fear of Adonai came upon the people of Israel, so they came to Saul as one man. As the men of Israel gathered at Bezek, Saul had them counted and found that there were three hundred thousand from Israel and thirty thousand from Judah. What a time of joy there was in Jabesh-Gilead when the news came that Saul would rescue them by noon the next day. Immediately they sent word to the Ammonites that they would surrender the next day, hoping to set a trap for them. ‘Tomorrow we will surrender to you and you may do whatever seems right to you,’ they told the Ammonites. The next day, Saul divided his forces into three companies and came upon the Ammonites with a surprise attack. All morning they cut down the Ammonites. The survivors ran away so fast that no two of them went together. ‘Who were those people who made fun of Saul as our king?’ some men asked Samuel. ‘Bring them here and we will put them to death.’ ‘No!’ Saul told them. ‘Not one of our people will be put to death today, for Adonai has saved Israel.’ Samuel gave orders then for the people to gather again at Gilgal. ‘Come and we will renew our vows to Saul, our king,’ he said. The people of Israel gathered with Samuel at Gilgal and reconfirmed their allegiance to Saul as their king. They offered peace offerings to Adonai and Saul and his people rejoiced greatly that day.

COMMENTARY

SAUL’S FIRST BATTLE

When Saul had been singled out to be king, some of the people scoffed and doubted. But when enemies attacked one of Israel’s cities, Saul led his people to a great military victory, a victory that began when Saul gave up his own oxen. Now all acclaimed Saul as king indeed. But Saul carefully gave the credit to YHVH, who had again rescued Israel. For years the Israelites had complained that they had no king to protect them from their enemies. Imagine the pressure Saul must have felt when Samuel appointed him to meet their demands. As Israel’s first king, Saul had no guidelines except for Samuel’s instructions. How was he to make the quarrelling tribes into a strong and unified nation? Saul had only a month of peace to ponder the task ahead. But when he heard of the trouble at Jabesh-Gilead, Saul proved he was a capable military leader. His surprise attack was successful and won him the confidence of the Israelite people.