Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 11:7
7He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.” As a result, the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out united.
1 Samuel 11:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, 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.
- New International Version (NIV)He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!" Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.” And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
Context of 1 Samuel 11:7
5Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. “What’s the matter with the people? Why are they weeping?” Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh. 6When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly came powerfully on him, and his anger burned furiously. He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.” As a result, the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out united. 8Saul counted them at Bezek. There were three hundred thousand Israelites and thirty thousand men from Judah. 9He told the messengers who had come, “Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.
Read all of 1 Samuel 111 Samuel 11:7 word by word
וַיִּקַּח֩ צֶ֨מֶד בָּקָ֜ר וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח בְּכָל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ בְּיַ֣ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים׀ לֵאמֹר֒ אֲשֶׁר֩ אֵינֶ֨נּוּ יֹצֵ֜א אַחֲרֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ וְאַחַ֣ר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כֹּ֥ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לִבְקָר֑וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֤ל פַּֽחַד־יְהוָה֙ עַל־הָעָ֔ם וַיֵּצְא֖וּ כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- a yokeצֶ֫מֶדtsemed · pairH6776
- of oxenבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
- and hewed them in piecesנָתַחnâthach · to cutH5408
- and sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- throughout all the coastsגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- by the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- of messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Whosoever cometh not forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- so shall it be doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- And the fearפַּ֫חַדpachad · dreadH6343
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- on the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- with oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- consentאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 11:7
- Judges 19:29When he entered his house, he picked up a knife, took hold of his concubine, cut her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and then sent her throughout the territory of Israel.
- Judges 21:5The Israelites asked, “Who of all the tribes of Israel didn’t come to the Lord with the assembly?” For a great oath had been taken that anyone who had not come to the Lord at Mizpah would certainly be put to death.
- Genesis 35:5When they set out, a terror from God came over the cities around them, and they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.
- 2 Chronicles 14:14Then they attacked all the cities around Gerar because the terror of the Lord was on them. They also plundered all the cities, since there was a great deal of plunder in them.
- 2 Chronicles 17:10The terror of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so they didn’t fight against Jehoshaphat.
- Judges 20:1All the Israelites from Dan to Beer-sheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the community assembled as one body before the Lord at Mizpah.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 11:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7He took a yoke of open - The sending the pieces of the oxen was an act similar to that of the Levite, Judges 19:29; (note), where see the note. And both customs are similar to the sending about of the bloody cross, to call the clans to battle, practiced by the ancient Highlanders of Scotland. See at the end of this chapter, 1 Samuel 11:15; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Though not expressly stated, it is doubtless implied that he sent the portions by the messengers to the twelve tribes, after the analogy, and probably in imitation, of Judges 19:29. He made use of the revered name of Samuel to strengthen his own weak authority. Samuel accompanied Saul in the expedition 1 Samuel 11:12.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Not participating would indicate rejection of the leadership of both Saul as king and Samuel as prophet.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces--(see Jud 19:29). This particular form of war-summons was suited to the character and habits of an agricultural and pastoral people. Solemn in itself, the denunciation that accompanied it carried a terrible threat to those that neglected to obey it. Saul conjoins the name of Samuel with his own, to lend the greater influence to the measure, and to strike greater terror unto all contemners of the order…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 11:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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