1 Samuel 11:11

11 Und des andern Morgens stellte Saul das Volk in drei Haufen, und sie kamen ins Lager um die Morgenwache und schlugen die Ammoniter, bis der Tag heiß ward; welche aber übrigblieben, wurden also zerstreut, daß ihrer nicht zwei beieinander blieben.

1 Samuel 11:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 11:11

And it was so on the morrow
After the messengers were returned, and delivered their message, and the men of Jabeshgilead had given the Ammonites reason to expect that they would come out to them according to their agreement:

that Saul put the people into three companies;
or "heads" ^F1, under so many commanders, assigning to each their number, if equally, 110,000 in each, as Gideon divided his three hundred into three companies, one hundred in each, ( Judges 7:16 ) and Abimelech, ( Judges 9:43 ) it seems to have been their way of fighting in those days:

and they came unto the midst of the host:
that is, of the Ammonites:

in the morning watch;
the third and last watch of the night, by break of day, or before, however before the sun was up; so quick was Saul and his men in their march, though on foot. Bunting ^F2 computes the distance from Gibeah to Bezek forty miles, and from thence to Jabesh sixteen; it is commonly reckoned that it was about sixty miles from Gibeah to Jabesh. Josephus ^F3 says it was ten "schaeni", each of which contained five or six miles:

and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day;
that is, till noon, so that from the morning watch till noon he was making slaughter of them:

and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered;
those that were not cut off by the sword of Saul were broken and dispersed, they could not stand their ground against him:

so that two of them were not left together; to flee together,
but every one shifted for himself, and fled alone.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (Myvar) "capita", Pagninus, Montanus
F2 Travels of the Patriarchs p. 126.
F3 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5. sect. 3.)

1 Samuel 11:11 In-Context

9 Und sie sagten den Boten, die gekommen waren: Also sagt den Männern zu Jabes in Gilead: Morgen soll euch Hilfe geschehen, wenn die Sonne beginnt heiß zu scheinen. Da die Boten kamen und verkündigten das den Männern zu Jabes, wurden sie froh.

10 Und die Männer von Jabes sprachen: Morgen wollen wir zu euch hinausgehen, daß ihr uns tut alles, was euch gefällt.

11 Und des andern Morgens stellte Saul das Volk in drei Haufen, und sie kamen ins Lager um die Morgenwache und schlugen die Ammoniter, bis der Tag heiß ward; welche aber übrigblieben, wurden also zerstreut, daß ihrer nicht zwei beieinander blieben.

12 Da sprach das Volk zu Samuel: Wer sind die, die da sagten: Sollte Saul über uns herrschen? Gebt sie her, die Männer, daß wir sie töten.

13 Saul aber sprach: Es soll auf diesen Tag niemand sterben; denn der HERR hat heute sein Heil gegeben in Israel. {~}