1 Samuel 31:11
in 1 Samuel 31When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
KJV
And when the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
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This verse in 1 Samuel 31
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead,.... Who lived on the other side Jordan, about eight miles from Bethshan, according to Fuller (p): heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul; not only that they had got the victory over him, and routed his army, but had abused his body, and hung it up by way of reproach and ignominy; which they could not bear to hear of, remembering with gratitude the kindness he had shown to them, in delivering them out of the hands of Nahash the Ammonite, 1Sa 11:1. (p) Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, b.
This site's exposition
When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul
on 1 Samuel 31:11-13
Jabesh-gilead owed Saul its rescue from Nahash the Ammonite. Its men march all night, take the bodies from the wall of Beth-shan, burn them, bury the bones and fast seven days. Barnes and Gill note the reign opens with Saul rescuing this city and closes with the city rescuing him.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard this, etc. Jabesh, which is interpreted as "dried up," designates the Church, which from all the flow of carnal desire, from every pollution of flesh and spirit, the fervor of justice of the Sun, that is, the aspiration of …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The day of recompence has now come, in which Saul must account for the blood of the Amalekites which he had sinfully spared, and that of the priests which he had more sinfully spilt; that of David too, which he would have spilt, must come into the account.
Out of a particular sense of gratitude to Saul, for his zeal and forwardness to rescue them from the Ammonites when he first came to the throne, ch. xi. It is an evidence of a generous spirit and an encouragement to beneficence when the remembrance of kindnesses is thus retained, and they are thus returned in an extremity.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
When the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard ... - See 1Sa 11:1-15. This is a touching and rare example of national gratitude.
When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard - This act of the men of Jabesh-gilead was an act of gratitude due to Saul, who, at the very commencement of his reign, rescued them from Nahash, king of the Ammonites, (see 1Sa 11:1, etc.), and by his timely succours saved them from the deepest degradation and the most oppressive tyranny. This heroic act, with the seven days’ fast, showed that they retained a due sense of their obligation to this unfortunate monarch.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
About him. Meaning the same as עָלָיו [about him], i.e., about Shaul.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And burned them there. [Targum renders,] "And they burned for them. I.e., they burned incense to cover the odor and prevent the decay of the bodies.—Radak as they burn for the kings there.
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. 5 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
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ | vaiyishmeu | and they heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵלָ֔יו | ʾelav | concerning him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יֹשְׁבֵ֖י | yoshevei | [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| יָבֵ֣ישׁ | yaveish | Jabesh | H3003 → | 24 times |
| גִּלְעָ֑ד | gilad | Gilead | H1568 → | 134 times |
| אֵ֛ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשׂ֥וּ | ʾasu | they had done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| לְשָׁאֽוּל׃ | leshaul | to Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּand they heard
vaiyishmeuH8085 →1159 times
אֵלָ֔יוconcerning him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
יֹשְׁבֵ֖י[the] inhabitants of
yosheveiH3427 →1079 times
יָבֵ֣ישׁJabesh
yaveishH3003 →24 times
גִּלְעָ֑דGilead
giladH1568 →134 times
אֵ֛ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשׂ֥וּthey had done
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
לְשָׁאֽוּל׃to Saul
leshaulH7586 →402 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
2 Samuel 2:4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 5:5
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
- 1 Samuel 31:11–13
When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
- 2 Samuel 5:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 11:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of…
- 1 Samuel 16:13
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and…
- 2 Samuel 5:5
Where this verse is studied
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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 on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.