The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 162
SECT. CLXII.
NAhaſh King of the Ammonites now came up and beſieged Jabeſh-Gilead, a City without Jordan; this attempt had been brewing againſt the Iſraelites before they deſired a King, and was in great part the occaſion of it, as appears Ch. 12.12. And now poſſibly it was the more haſtened by Nahaſh, becauſe of the report that was brought to him that the Iſraelites had ſhaken off the Government of Samuel, and had choſen a King to reign over them, at which ſome of them were diſcontent, and would not accept him. 'Tis like the Ammonites made the ground of their preſent quarrel, the old pretence and claim which they laid to the land of Gilead, in which Jabeſh ſtood, ſee Judg. 11.13. which now they hop'd to recover, and revenge the ſhameful overthrow which Jephtah then gave them. The men of Jabeſh-Gilead being now in extream fear, and not truſting in the Providence of God as they ought to have done, and contrary to Gods command (who had forbidden them to make any Covenant with the accurſed Nations) they deſire Nabaſh to make a Covenant with them, and to take them under his protection as his Confederates, and they would pay him Tribute and ſerve him. Nahaſh proudly and tyrannically anſwers them that on this condition only he would make a Covenant with them, namely if he might have liberty to put out their right eyes. Hereby he intended (it ſeems) to diſable them from War, [for with their Shields they covered their left eyes, and therefore if their right eyes were put out, what ſervice of war could they be fit for?] as alſo to fix a reproach upon all Iſrael. For the accepting ſuch baſe conditions would be a perpetual diſgrace to all the people, of whom it would be ſaid that they were ſo baſe a people that they would buy their peace and lives upon any terms; yea it would be a reproach to the God of Iſrael, as if he could not help his people in their diſtreſſes, or would not do it. The Elders of Jabeſh-Gilead deſire ſeven days reſpite to ſend unto their brethren for help, in which time if they were not relieved, they promiſe to come out unto him, and to yield themſelves to be diſpoſed of at his pleaſure. Nahaſh (being puft up with a vain opinion of his own ſtrength, and thinking it impoſſible that their brethren in that time either could or durſt come to relieve them) yields to their deſire, and by this means (through his own arrogancy and folly) he brought ruin and deſtruction upon himſelf and his people. And God by his alwiſe Providence made this a means that Jabeſh-Gilead ſhould be delivered by the hands of Saul, whoſe valour and magnanimity being in this atchievement ſo much diſplayed, the hearts of the people were hereby more inclined to receive him for their King. The men of Jabeſh-Gilead having therefore liberty granted them to ſend to their Brethren, their Meſſengers came firſt to Gibeah (where Saul and Samuel now were) to acquaint them with the extream ſtreights they were in, that ſo they might ſpeedily ſend into all the Coaſts of Iſrael for help. When the people of Gibeah heard theſe doleful tidings they lift up their voices and wept; Saul though elected King, yet being returned to his own houſe, betook himſelf as it ſeems to his former, private Country-life, expecting till God ſhould pleaſe to give him an opportunity by ſome eminent action to ſhew himſelf worthy to be their King. Coming home therefore out of the fields after his Herd, he perceived the people all in an uproar crying out, and wringing their hands, and tearing their hair, and expreſſing the bittereſt lamentation. Being extreamly ſurpriz'd at it, he asks what was the matter? they tell him the ſad tidings that were brought to them concerning Jabeſh-Gilead. At the hearing of this the Spirit of God came upon him, that is the ſpirit of fortitude and courage, and magnanimity, and zeal for his Countrys defence; and though he was before very patient in his own cauſe, when certain Sons of Belial ſcorned and deſpiſed him, and eaſily paſſed it over as we have ſeen, Ch. 10.27. yet now his anger was highly kindled, and he was impatient of the wrong that was done to the Lord and his people by the Ammonites. Taking therefore a yoke of Oxen, and hewing them in pieces, he ſent the pieces to the ſeveral Tribes of Iſrael, in imitation of the Levite, Judg. 19.29. who did thus cut his Concubine in pieces and ſent them to the ſeveral Tribes to ſtir up their indignation. And becauſe he was not as yet generally received as King, he uſes not only his own name, but Samuel's alſo, and by his meſſengers gives the people to underſtand that whoſoever did not come forth and join with them in this expedition againſt the Ammonites, their Oxen ſhould be ſo ſerved. And the fear of the Lord fell upon the people, and ſo moved and inclined their hearts that they readily came forth and joined with Saul and Samuel in this undertaking. And when they were come together in the Territories of Bezek, Saul numbred them, and the Children of Iſrael were three hundred thouſand, and the men of Judah (a)Where by the way we may obſerve the humble ſubmiſſion of the Tribe of Judah to the Government of Saul, (notwithſtanding they had the promiſe of the Kingly Scepter) becauſe they ſaw it thus determined by the pleaſure of God.thirty thouſand; having got this great Army together, Saul and Samuel ſent away the meſſengers that came from Jabeſh-Gilead, to inform the Inhabitants thereof that on the morrow by that time the Sun was well up, they might expect them to come for their help. The meſſengers returning to the City with this news, the Inhabitants thereof were wonderfully revived at it, and ſent to Nahaſh (who beſieged them) that on the morrow they would come out to him, meaning and underſtanding thereby if no help came for them in the mean time. But this they concealed(b)Sic non tam ipſi decipiebant ſuos hoſt…s, quam permittebant ut ipſi deciperentur., that nothing might be preſently attempted againſt them, and to make their enemies the more ſecure, that Saul might have the greater advantage againſt them. Saul dividing his Army into three parts, and marching (as it ſeems) all night, by the morning-watch he came upon the enemy, and ſurprized them unawares, and ſlew a vaſt number of them, and ſo ſcattered the reſt that there were very few of them left together. And thus he raiſed the ſiege of Jabeſh, and freed the Inhabitants thereof from that horrid cruelty intended againſt them(a)How thankful the inhabitants of Jabeſh-Gilead were afterwards to Saul for this great benefit we may ſee Ch. 31.11, 12, 13.. The Iſraelites were ſo tranſported with joy for this victory, and ſo taken with the prudence and brave conduct of Saul in the obtaining of it, that ſome of them came to Samuel, and ſaid, Where are the men that ſaid Saul ſhall not reign over us? bring them forth that we may put them to death. But Saul ſaid, There ſhall not a man be put to death this day on my account; I ſhall never conſent that a day of ſo much joy and triumph, and wherein God has ſo eminently ſhewed himſelf gracious unto us ſhall be ſtained with ſeverity againſt thoſe that ſlighted me, or with the leaſt ſorrow or mourning among the people. And here we ſee again what a difference there was betwixt Saul in his firſt Government, and what he was afterwards, when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him. Now none more humble and gentle than he, not a man ſhall be put to death for him, but afterwards in his dealing with David and the Prieſts of the Lord, he was another man, even blood-thirſty, cruel and implacable beyond meaſure. But to go on, Samuel upon this victory ſpake to the people after this manner: Come (ſays he) let us go to Gilgal and renew the Kingdom there; that is, let us by a general conſent confirm Saul's Election, and ſettle and inveſt him in the Kingdom. Accordingly the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul King before the Lord *V. 15. that is in a ſolemn manner, as in Gods preſence, and poſſibly before the Ark the ſign of his preſence, which by Samuel's appointment might be brought hither at this time that they might conſult with God as occaſion ſerved in this weighty buſineſs, and alſo (it may be) that it might grace the action., that is, they anointed him publickly, (as before Samuel had done privately) and performed all other Solemnities requiſite for his Inauguration, ſacrificing Sacrifices of Peace-offerings, and Thanksgiving before the Lord, and rejoicing and praiſing him for their late victory, and for their new King, by whoſe conduct under God, they had obtained it, and praying to the Lord for him, and craving his bleſſing upon his Government.
1 Sam. Ch. 11. whole Chapter.