1 Samuel 11:12

12 Then people asked Samuel, "Who was it who said, ‘Will Saul rule over us?' Give us those people; we'll kill them!"

1 Samuel 11:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 11:12

And the people said unto Samuel
By which it seems that Samuel accompanied Saul in this expedition; though it is somewhat difficult to account for it, that a man of his years should be able to attend so quick a march that Saul made; it may be, therefore, that he might follow after him gently, and meet him quickly after the battle was fought, when the people made the following speech to him:

who is he that said, shall Saul reign over us?
is such a mean inexperienced man fit to rule over us? who can bear his government, and submit to it? what can be expected from him, that he should deliver and save us out of the hands of our enemies? in this they had respect to the sons of Belial, and what they said, ( 1 Samuel 10:27 ) , but now it appeared he was sufficiently qualified, and God had made him an instrument of salvation, and was a proper person to be king over them:

bring the men, that we may put them to death;
so transported were they with affection to Saul, and indignation against those men.

1 Samuel 11:12 In-Context

10 Then the people of Jabesh told the Ammonites, "We will surrender to you tomorrow. Then you can do whatever you want to us."

11 The next day Saul organized his troops into three formations. They attacked the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. The survivors were so scattered that not even two of them could be found together.

12 Then people asked Samuel, "Who was it who said, ‘Will Saul rule over us?' Give us those people; we'll kill them!"

13 But Saul said, "No one will be executed because today the LORD has saved Israel."

14 "Let's go to Gilgal," Samuel told the people, "and inaugurate the monarchy there."