New Living Translation
1 Samuel 11:1
1About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.
1 Samuel 11:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh–gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
- New International Version (NIV)Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”
Context of 1 Samuel 11:1
About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded. 2“All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!” 3“Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 111 Samuel 11:1 word by word
וַיַּ֗עַל נָחָשׁ֙ הָֽעַמּוֹנִ֔י וַיִּ֖חַן עַל־יָבֵ֣שׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כָּל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י יָבֵישׁ֙ אֶל־נָחָ֔שׁ כְּרָת־לָ֥נוּ בְרִ֖ית וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Nahashנָחָשׁnâchâsh · NahashH5176
- the Ammoniteעַמּוֹנִי‛ammônîy · AmmonH5984
- came upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- and encampedחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
- against Jabesh–gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · (Jabesh)-gileadH1568
- against Jabesh–gileadיָבֵשׁyâbêsh yâbêysh · JabeshH3003
- and all the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of Jabeshיָבֵשׁyâbêsh yâbêysh · Jabesh (Gilead)H3003
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Makeכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
- a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- with us, and we will serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 11:1
- 1 Samuel 12:12“But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king.
- Judges 10:7So the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites,
- Judges 11:8“Because we need you,” the elders replied. “If you lead us in battle against the Ammonites, we will make you ruler over all the people of Gilead.”
- 1 Samuel 31:11But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
- Judges 21:8So they asked, “Who among the tribes of Israel did not join us at Mizpah when we assembled in the presence of the Lord?” And they discovered that no one from Jabesh-gilead had attended the assembly.
- Genesis 26:28They replied, “We can plainly see that the Lord is with you. So we want to enter into a sworn treaty with you. Let’s make a covenant.
- Exodus 23:32“Make no treaties with them or their gods.
- Deuteronomy 23:3“No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants for ten generations may be admitted to the assembly of the Lord.
- 1 Kings 20:34Ben-hadad told him, “I will give back the towns my father took from your father, and you may establish places of trade in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Then Ahab said, “I will release you under these conditions.” So they made a new treaty, and Ben-hadad was set free.
- Job 41:4Will it agree to work for you, to be your slave for life?
- Isaiah 36:16“Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well.
- Ezekiel 17:13He made a treaty with a member of the royal family and forced him to take an oath of loyalty. He also exiled Israel’s most influential leaders,
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 11:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Nahash the Ammonite - In the Vulgate this chapter begins thus: Et factum est quasi post mensem, "And it came to pass about a month after." This addition appears also in the principal copies of the Septuagint; though it is wanting in the Complutensian edition, both in the Greek and Latin, and is not acknowledged by any of the Oriental versions. But it is in Josephus, and probably was inserted from him into some copies of the Septuagint, and thence into the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Nahash was king of the children of Ammon, as appears from 1 Samuel 12:12. He seems to have been connected with the family of David, since Abigail, David‘s sister, was “the daughter (perhaps granddaughter) of Nahash” 2 Samuel 17:25; 1 Chronicles 2:16-17; and, perhaps, in consequence of this connection, he and his family were very friendly to David 2 Samuel 17:27. Jabesh-Gilead must have been re-populated after its destruction (see marginal reference). The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Jabesh-gilead delivered. (1-11) Saul confirmed in his kingdom. (12-15) Verses 1-11 The first fruit of Saul's government was the rescue of Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites. To save their lives, men will part with liberty, and even consent to have their eyes put out; is it then no wisdom to part with that sin which is as dear to us as our right eye, rather than to be cast into hell-fire? See the faith and confidence of Saul, and, grounded thereon, his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Ammon (see Genesis 19:38), located east of the Jordan River, was a threat to Israel like the Philistines in the southwest (see also Judges 10:6–11:33). Make a treaty with us: Compare Joshua 9; 2 Samuel 10:19.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-41Sa 11:1-4. Nahash Offers Them of Jabesh-gilead a Reproachful Condition. 1. Then Nahash the Ammonite came up--Nahash ("serpent"); (see Jud 8:3). The Ammonites had long claimed the right of original possession in Gilead. Though repressed by Jephthah (Jud 11:33), they now, after ninety years, renew their pretensions; and it was the report of their threatened invasion that hastened the appointment of a king (1Sa 12:12). Make a covenant with us, and we will…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 11:1
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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