CHAPTER XI. eo.st of the Jordan which rightfully belonged to them (Judges xi. 13); but after their de- THE DEFEAT OF THE AMMONITES (vers. feat by J ephthah their power wns so broken 1-13}. Vers. 1, 2.-Nahash the Ammonite. that they allowed u. century to elapse before The same name is found in 2 S:tm. x. 2 as they ventured agnin to assert their claim. that of the father of Hanun, who treated N abash, appo.rently after other invasions (eh_ David's ambassadors so shamefully, and xii. 12), now attacks Ju.besh-Gilend, n city in probably they mean the some person. He the hu.lf-tribe of I\Iano.sseh, which hu.d \ieen ls there said to have shown kindness to cruelly treated by the Israelites (Judges ni. David; and as we read in 2 Sam. xvii. 26 10), but u.pparently had risen a.gain from its that Abigal (so the Hebrew, not Abigail as ruins. Its inhabitants were willing humbly the A. V., who was David's wife), Amasa's to submit to Ammonite rule; but Nahash mother, was the daughter of No.hash, and as will grant them no other terms than that Abigal was the sister or half-sister of Zeruiah, they should let him thrust out-Hebrew, David's aunt, there seems to have been some bore through--u.11 their right eyes. not from relationship between them. The Ammonites any special spite against them, but 11s nn were ohl enemies of the Israelites, alleging insult to all Isrnel No bctt~r proof could that Israel had taken possession of territory be ginu ol' the disorganisation or the nation 198 THE FIRST TIOt)K CW SA:\WEL. [cH. Xl. 1--15.
thnn thAt " petty rlespot sl.ould venture to the war (ver. 12). And the result answo·ed show his contempt for it in so offensive n to the energy with which Saul acted, for the· W8Y. fear of Jehovah-or, rather, "n terror from i- er. 3. -The elders who govern the town Jehovah"-fell on the people, and they c11me know nothing of a king having been ap• out with one consent, or, ns it is rendoreu pointed, nor do they send to Samuel to ask far moro correctly and forcibly in the margin him, ns :he judge, to protect them ; but they '.' as one ma)l·" United by the kingly power: request n seven dnys' respite, that they may 1t was a nation that rose to defend one of ifs. send messengers unto all the coasts of injured members. Israel, and Nahash, feeling sure th11.t no Ver. 8. -Re numbered them in :Bezek. combined action would be the result, grants This place was in the tribe of Issachar, and' their request, that so Israel far ,.and wide must be distinguished from that mentioned might know of his triumph. in Judges i. 3, 4, which was in Judah, and Yers. 4, 5.-Among other places the mes- too remote from the scene of operations. aengers came to Gibeah of Saul, where they And here Saul appears as the commnnder-in- make no appeal to him, but telf their sad chief; for the numbering included the form- tidings in the ears of all the people: Power- ing of battalions, arranged in thousands, less to help, they can only weep; but in the hundreds, and fifties, and the setting office.rs mi<lst of their lamentation Saul came after over them. These, naturally, were the chief' the herd (Hebrew, follomng the oxen) out of men in each district. The result would be· the field. Saul W8'! not driving a herd of that, coming to Bezek, the appointed rendez.: cattle home, but had been ploughing, and, vous, a disorderly multitude, they would: labour being over, was returning with the leave it as an army arranged in order, and team of oxen. Saul, in the many difficulties that would Ver. 6. -And the Spirit of God came upon • arise, would have his first opportunity of Saul. Rather, descended mi,ghtily upon showing his powers of command. Children Saul (see eh. x. 6). No miraculous influence of Israel, . . . men of Judah-the distinc, is here meant ; fax more full of meaning and tion which ended in the disruption of the piety is the lesson so constantly taught in the nation. Judah, too, with its 30,000 men, is. Book of Judges, that all mighty and noble but poorly represented, nor is it a sufficient acts are from God (Judges iii. 10; vi. 34; xi. explanatioi:i, of the small number who came 29: xiii. 25; xiv. 6; xv. 14, &c.). Even the that the tribe had enough to do at home in heathen saw in enthusiasm something Divine, making head against the Philistines. As e. for it means the having God within. The matter of fact, Judah always stood apart energy with which Saul acted was strictly until there was a king who belonged to itself. natnral, but yet as truly Divine; and it is a Then, in David's time, it first took an active sign of the irreligion of modern days that it interest in the national welfare, and it wu can see and hear of great and heroic achieve- its vast power and numbers which made him ments and assign no part in them to God. so powerful. Had it been so nearly ov:er- In the days of Samuel and the judges the powered by the Philistines, it could not so whole glory of such acts was ascribed to suddenly have sprung forth with a might God. But equally now, whenever men al"e which made it well-nigh a match for all the moved to noble acts, it is "the breath of rest. God " that descends upon them and inspires Ver. 9.-To-morrow, by that time the sun them. - be hot. As Bezek is about twenty miles Ver. 7.-Acting then with Divine enthusi- distant from Jabesh • Gilead, Saul would. asm, Saul cut into pieces a yoke of oxen, probably march most of the way that even- and sent them thronghont all the coasts of ing, and then, halting for food and sleep, Israel by the hands ot messengers. For a would continue his advance early the next similar act see Judges xix. 29. Probably Saul morning. ' cut the oxen into twelve pieces, and sent one Ver; 10.-To-morrow we will oome out to each tribe, with the threat that in case of unto yott, This was apparently intended to disobedience their oxen would be similarly throw the Ammonites off their guard, as treated. The threat was moderate in that it they would suppose that the men of Je,besh, did not touch their persollB, but severe as Gilead had given up all hopes of deliver- regards their property, the labouring ox ance. being man's faithful friend and servant. It Ver. 11 . ...:...They came . .. in the morning is important also to notice that Saul speaks watch. By a forced march Saul came upon not only in his own name, bnt also in that the unsuspecting Ammonites just before day- of Samuel It was as the man chosen of break when sleep is deepest; and as his host Jehovah to be king by the voice of his was u'nwieldy, he arranged it in three divi- prophet that he acted, and so as one pos- sions, assigning to each a different route, sessed of legitimate authority; and it seems that they might not impede one another oli &110 that Samuel went with him in person to the way, and might also cut off the retreat of THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 19')