1 Samuel 11:11
in 1 Samuel 11The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions, and during the morning watch they invaded the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them, until the hottest part of the day. And the survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left together.
KJV
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: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 11
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The march from Bezek may have begun the night before. This disposition of the forces “in three companies” (imitating Gideon’s strategy, compare the marginal reference.) would not have been made until the morning when they were very near the Ammonitish forces. “The morning watch” was the last of the three watches, of four hours each, into which the night was anciently divided by the Hebrews. (See Jdg 7:19 note.) The time thus indicated would be between two and six in the morning.
This site's exposition
Saul organized the troops into three divisions
Saul divides his force into three divisions and strikes in the morning watch, the tactic Gideon used against Midian, as Albert Barnes notes. Jabesh-gilead owes its life to this king. The debt outlives his reign, since at 31:11 to 13 the men of Jabesh-gilead travel to take Saul’s body.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church4 voices
But the rest were dispersed, etc. The heart and soul of the multitude of believers, although widely scattered, are one. However, the heretics, who seem to have temporarily escaped the judgment of the Church, and are expelled farther from her, are also discordant among themselves. …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.
proposed
12. The people are indeed divided into parts, so that we may strike the serpent Nahash not with a single battle line. And indeed they are divided into three parts, so that the fruit and dignity of sacred abstinence may be shown: because through fasting we are called back to that contemplation of the Holy Trinity which we lose by eating. For hence it is that the fasts of the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel are commended. For Moses, that he might deserve to receive the Law, fasted twice for a period of forty days (Exod. 34:28).
And it happened when the next day came, etc. It happened when the grace of God the Savior appeared for the help of the struggling Church, He established it in three parts of the faithful, namely of the married, the continent, and the teachers; whom …
And he entered the middle of the camp in the morning watch, etc. As Lucifer of sound doctrine rises among the darkness of heresies, immediately the camps of perfidy are disturbed. But with the Scriptures glowing from the Sun of righteousness, they vanish, completely anathematized. …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
With what incredible swiftness he flew to the enemy. In a day and a night he came to the place of action, where his own fate, and that of Israel, must be determined. He had passed his word, and would not break it; nay, he was better than his word, for he promised help next day, by that time the sun was hot (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the L ORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the L ORD ; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:93%@v14-15
And it was so on the morrow,....
Lastly, To complete his honour, God crowned all these virtues with success. Jabesh-Gilead was rescued, and the Ammonites were totally routed; he had now the day before him to complete his victory in, and so complete a victory it was that those who remained, after a great slaughter, were scattered so that two of them were not left together to encourage or help one another,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Put the people in three companies - Intending to attack the Ammonites in three different points, and to give his own men more room to act. In the morning watch - He probably began his march in the evening, passed Jordan in the night, and reached the camp of the Ammonites by daybreak. That two of them were not left together - This proves that the rout was complete.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Who is it that says. Derisively, "Shaul will reign over us?" Give them over and we will execute them.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems right in your sight.”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
27 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֣י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת | mimochorat | from [the] next day | H4283 → | 32 times |
| וַיָּ֨שֶׂם | vaiyasem | and he made | H7760 → | 584 times |
| שָׁא֣וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעָם֮ | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה | sheloshah | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| רָאשִׁים֒ | rashim | companies | H7218 → | 599 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ | vaiyavou | and they went | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְתוֹךְ־ | vetokh- | in [the] midst of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙ | hamachaneh | the camp | H4264 → | 215 times |
| בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת | beashmoret | in [the] watch of | H821 → | |
| הַבֹּ֔קֶר | haboker | the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| וַיַּכּ֥וּ | vaiyaku | and they struck down | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַמּ֖וֹן | amon | Ammon | H5983 → | 106 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| חֹ֣ם | chom | [the] heat of | H2527 → | 10 times |
| הַיּ֑וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| וַיְהִ֤י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ | hanisharim | those [who] remained | H7604 → | 133 times |
| וַיָּפֻ֔צוּ | vaiyafutzu | and they were scattered | H6327 → | 67 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִשְׁאֲרוּ־ | nisharu- | they remained | H7604 → | 133 times |
| בָ֖ם | vam | among <the> them | ||
| שְׁנַ֥יִם | shenayim | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| יָֽחַד׃ | yachad | together | H3162 → | 141 times |
וַיְהִ֣יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗תfrom [the] next day
mimochoratH4283 →32 times
וַיָּ֨שֶׂםand he made
vaiyasemH7760 →584 times
שָׁא֣וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעָם֮the people
haamH5971 →1873 times
שְׁלֹשָׁ֣הthree
sheloshahH7969 →432 times
רָאשִׁים֒companies
rashimH7218 →599 times
וַיָּבֹ֤אוּand they went
vaiyavouH935 →2568 times
בְתוֹךְ־in [the] midst of
vetokh-H8432 →418 times
הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙the camp
hamachanehH4264 →215 times
בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶתin [the] watch of
beashmoretH821 →
הַבֹּ֔קֶרthe morning
habokerH1242 →214 times
וַיַּכּ֥וּand they struck down
vaiyakuH5221 →499 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עַמּ֖וֹןAmmon
amonH5983 →106 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
חֹ֣ם[the] heat of
chomH2527 →10 times
הַיּ֑וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
וַיְהִ֤יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙those [who] remained
hanisharimH7604 →133 times
וַיָּפֻ֔צוּand they were scattered
vaiyafutzuH6327 →67 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
נִשְׁאֲרוּ־they remained
nisharu-H7604 →133 times
בָ֖םamong <the> them
vam
שְׁנַ֥יִםtwo
shenayimH8147 →768 times
יָֽחַד׃together
yachadH3162 →141 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 22:14And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
it leads to
- Genesis 22:13
Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of…
- Exodus 17:15
And Moses built an altar and named it The LORD Is My Banner.
- Judges 6:24
So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
- Genesis 22:8
Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two walked on together.
- Genesis 22:13
Through
James 2:13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
- Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
- Luke 6:37
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
- Matthew 5:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.