1 Samuel 11:8 Commentary and Bible Study

’And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.’ That is a very big force. Word is sent to Jabeshgilead that help is on its way, and they believe it. On the strength of this promise of relief, they are ready to say to the Ammonites – who are not going to wait indefinitely – that tomorrow they will come out to them. It appears to the Ammonites that Jabesh has given up hope of relief, and so they likely to be caught off their guard.The strategy is described. ‘And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day.’ It is a very clever strategy which employs rapid deployment and surprise. Saul has never done this before, but the Spirit of God has come upon him to carry out this work, and they slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day, and the cruel oppressors were destroyed and routed: ‘It came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.