New Living Translation
1 Samuel 11:7
7He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one.
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
5Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh. 6Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 8When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah. 9So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!
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 got home, he took a knife and cut his concubine’s body into twelve pieces. Then he sent one piece to each tribe throughout all the territory of Israel.
- Judges 21:5Then they said, “Who among the tribes of Israel did not join us at Mizpah when we held our assembly in the presence of the Lord?” At that time they had taken a solemn oath in the Lord’s presence, vowing that anyone who refused to come would be put to death.
- Genesis 35:5As they set out, a terror from God spread over the people in all the towns of that area, so no one attacked Jacob’s family.
- 2 Chronicles 14:14While they were at Gerar, they attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the Lord came upon the people there. As a result, a vast amount of plunder was taken from these towns, too.
- 2 Chronicles 17:10Then the fear of the Lord fell over all the surrounding kingdoms so that none of them wanted to declare war on Jehoshaphat.
- Judges 20:1Then all the Israelites were united as one man, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, including those from across the Jordan in the land of Gilead. The entire community assembled in the presence of 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries