1 Samuel 11:4 Commentary and Bible Study

The messengers from Jabesh come to Gibeah of Saul. They didn't locate Saul; he was out in the field with the herds. We cannot say at this point that his kingship had gone to his head. Although these were natural gifts, at this stage in his life Saul had some admirable qualities. Matthew Henry points to his humility, his concern for his neighbours, his zeal for the honour of Israel, his authority and power, and his prudent proceedings in this great affair. But the messengers weren't very respectful to him. They didn't say, ‘We have got an urgent message for the king, the new king.’ No, they spilled the beans in the ears of all the people of Gibeah, and the people were in absolute despair. But just a minute: Haven't you got a king there? Didn't you demand a king of the Lord to fight your battles for you? And the very town where the king lives, the first capital of the monarchy, Gibeah. Yet when the people know there is trouble, they are in utter overwhelmed. They weep and wail, and when Saul comes back he enquires the reason for it. The way the whole account is told is very meaningful: ‘And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep?’ The king has to ask about the message that should have come to him. So finally they tell him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.’ He is filled with indignation. One moment he is in hiding, now the Spirit of God stirs him up to fierce indignation: his anger was kindled greatly. What he did was really very firm with the nation, and yet fairly gentle at the same time, very effective. Copying an earlier event from Judges (Judges 19:29), he took a yoke of oxen, hewed them in pieces, sent the pieces throughout the coast of Israel and said, ‘Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent’, literally as one man. Now Saul was a farmer, and he knew you didn't necessarily have to threaten the lives of the people. Just threaten to destroy their flocks and herds, and they will soon mobilise to battle, and they did. It was a very effective and shocking thing that he did. ‘And the fear of the Lord fell on the people and they came out with one consent’ – a huge number. The message was sent back to Jabesh that tomorrow they would have help.