rd

1 Samuel 11

2 Naháſh the Ammonite warreth againſt Iabéſh Gileád, who aſketh helpe of the Iſraelites 6 Saul promiſeth helpe 11 The Ammonites are ſlayne. 14 The kingdome is renued.
1.THen Naháſh the Ammonite a came vp, and beſieged Iabéſh Gileád: and all the men of Iabéſh ſaid vnto Naháſh, Make a couenant with vs, and we wil be thy ſeruants.
2.And Naháſh the Ammonite anſwered them, On this condicion wil I make a co-uenant with you, that I may thruſte out all your b right eyes, & bring that ſhame vpon all Iſraél.
3.To whome yͤ Elders of Iabéſh ſaid, Giue vs ſeuen daies reſpet, that we may ſend meſſengers vnto all the coaſtes of Iſraél: & then if no man deliuer vs, we wil come out to thee.
4.¶ Then came the meſſengers to Gibeáh of Saúl, & tolde theſe tidings in the eares of the people: and all the people lift vp their voyces and wept.
5.And beholde, Saúl came following the cattel out of the field, & Saúl ſaid, What ayleth this people, yͤ thei wepe? And thei tolde him the tidings of the mẽ of Iabéſh.
6.Then the Spirit of God c came vpon Saúl, when he heard thoſe tidings, and he was exceding angry,
7.And tooke a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and ſent them throughout all the coaſtes of Iſraél by the hands of meſſengers, ſaying, Whoſoeuer cometh not forthe after Saúl, and after d Samuél, ſo ſhal his oxẽ be ſerued. And the feare of the Lord fel on the people, and thei came out " with one conſent.
8.And when he nombred them in Bezék, the children of Iſraél were thre hundreth thouſand men: and the men of Iudáh thirty thouſand.
9.Then e thei ſaid vnto the meſſengers that came, So ſay vnto the men of Iabéſh Gileád, Tomorowe by then the ſunne be hote, ye ſhal haue helpe And the meſſengers came and ſhewed it to the men of Iabéſh, which were glad.
10.Therefore the men of Iabéſh ſaid, To-morowe we wil come out vnto f you, & ye ſhal do with vs all that pleaſeth you.
11.¶ And when the morowe was come, Saúl put the people in thre bands, & thei came in vpõ the hoſte in the morning watch, & ſlewe the Ammonites vntil the heate of the day: and thei that remained, were ſcattered, ſo that two of them were not left together.
12.Then the people ſaid vnto Samuél, g Who is he that ſaid, Shal Saúl reigne ouer vs? bring thoſe mẽ that we may ſlaye them.
13.But Saúl ſaid, There ſhal no man h dye this day: for to day the Lord hathe ſaued Iſraél.
14.¶ Then ſaid Samuél vnto the people, Come, that we may go to Gilgál, & renue the kingdome there.
15.So all the people went to Gilgál, and made Saul King there before the Lord in Gilgál: and there thei offred i peace offrings before the Lord: and there Saúl & all the mẽ of Iſraél reioyced excedingly.

Notes

1:a.
After that Saul was choſen King; for feare of whome they aſked a King. as Chap 12,12.
2:b.
This declareth, that the more nere that tyrants are to their deſtruction, the more cruel thei are.
6:c.
God gaue him the ſpirit of ſtrength & courage to go againſt this tyrant.
7:d.
He addeth Samuél, becauſe Saúl was not yet approued of all.
7:".
Ebr as one mã.
9:e.
Meaning, Saúl & Samuél.
10:f.
That is, to Ammonites, diſſembling that thei had hope of aide.
12:g.
By this victorie the Lord wõne yͤ hearts of the people to Saúl
13:h.
by ſhewing mercie he thoght to ouercome their malice.
15:i.
in ſigne of thankeſgiuing for yͤ victorie.