1 Samuel 11:12

12 Then the people of Israel said to Samuel, "Where are the people who said that Saul should not be our king? Hand them over to us, and we will 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 and said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do with us whatever you wish."

11 That night Saul divided his men into three groups, and at dawn the next day they rushed into the enemy camp and attacked the Ammonites. By noon they had slaughtered them. The survivors scattered, each man running off by himself.

12 Then the people of Israel said to Samuel, "Where are the people who said that Saul should not be our king? Hand them over to us, and we will kill them!"

13 But Saul said, "No one will be put to death today, for this is the day the Lord rescued Israel."

14 And Samuel said to them, "Let us all go to Gilgal and once more proclaim Saul as our king."