1 Samuel 11:12

12 And the people say unto Samuel, `Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.'

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 the men of Jabesh say [to the Ammonites], `To-morrow we come out unto you, and ye have done to us according to all that [is] good in your eyes.'

11 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Saul putteth the people in three detachments, and they come into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch, and smite Ammon till the heat of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered, and there have not been left of them two together.

12 And the people say unto Samuel, `Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.'

13 And Saul saith, `There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.'

14 And Samuel saith unto the people, `Come and we go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there;'