1 Samuel 11:15
in 1 Samuel 11So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
KJV
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 11
Commentary
11 notes on this verseAnd all the people went to Gilgal,.... Agreed to the motion, and marched along with Saul and Samuel thither: and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; that is, they declared him to be king there; he was inaugurated into, and invested with his office, otherwise it was God only that made him king, who only had the power of making one, see Act 2:
This site's exposition
let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there
on 1 Samuel 11:14-15
Samuel calls Israel to Gilgal to renew the kingship, a public confirmation of what chapter 10 did in private. Adam Clarke notes Josephus records a second anointing here, and Albert Barnes notes the Septuagint reads the same way. Two chapters later Saul returns to this ground, offers the burnt offering himself rather than wait for Samuel, and loses the kingdom he is confirmed in here.
This site's exposition
confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD
Saul's kingship came in three steps. Samuel anointed him in private at 10:1, the lot fell on him at Mizpah at 10:21, and here the people confirm him before the LORD. John Gill notes that the people declared a king whom God alone had made.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.
proposed
16. If therefore we apply all things in the manner in which they occur above in the ordaining of the king to the custom of the holy Church, her rulers are ordained with great subtlety. For first the king to be chosen was shown to the prophet, then he was sought as though unknown; afterward he was even found by lot, hidden at home, revealed by the Lord, raised up by the people, and received by all into royal dignity. What then is it that they still proceed to Gilgal, so that there the kingdom might be renewed?
And Saul rejoiced there, etc. Saul rejoiced in Gilgal, which is called revelation. Jesus exulted in the Holy Spirit and said: I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent (Matt. XI; Luke X), …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Commentary on Chapter XI 1. Then - That is, about that time; for that this happened before, and was the occasion of their desire of a king, may seem from chap. xii, 12, although it is possible, that Nahash's preparation, might cause that desire, and that he did not actually come 'till their king was chosen.
Extremity of Jabesh-Gilead. 1 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. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v1-3
That they might publicly give God thanks for their late victory. There they rejoiced greatly, and, that God might have the praise of that which they had the comfort of, they sacrificed to him, as the giver of all their successes, sacrifices of peace-offerings.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Made Saul king - The Septuagint has another reading, “and Samuel anointed Saul king there.” The example of David, who, besides his original anointing by Samuel 1Sa 16:12-13, was twice anointed, first as king of Judah 2Sa 2:4, and again as king over all Israel 2Sa 5:3, makes it probable that Saul was anointed a second time; but this may be included in the word “made king” (see 1Sa 12:3, 1Sa 12:5).
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The calm and sagacious counsel of Samuel directed the popular feelings into a right channel, by appointing a general assembly of the militia, the really effective force of the nation, at Gilgal, where, amid great pomp and religious solemnities, the victorious leader was confirmed in his kingdom [1Sa 11:15].
There they made Saul king - It is likely, from these words, that Saul was anointed a second time; he was now publicly acknowledged, and there was no gainsayer. Thus far Saul acted well, and the kingdom seemed to be confirmed in his hand; but soon through imprudence he lost it. On the custom referred to in 1Sa 11:7 I am favored with the following observations by a learned correspondent: - “It is considered that the authenticity of records respecting a peculiar people cannot be better illustrated, or the fidelity of the historian more clearly ascertained, than by proving that the manners and customs recorded are in unison with, or bear a resemblance to, the manners and customs of other nations of the same antiquity; or, what may be more correct, in a similar state of improvement; and the records of such rites and customs may possibly acquire an additional mark of authenticity, when the similarity is not so exact as to admit a presumption that the customs of one nation were merely copied from the other. “Sir Walter Scott, in the third canto of the Lady of the Lake, describes the rites, incantations, and imprecations, used prior to the fiery cross being circulated, to summon the rough warriors of ancient times to the service of their chief; and in the first note of this canto he alludes to this ancient custom which, in comparatively modern times, has been used in Scotland, and proves that a similar punishment of death or destruction of the houses for disobeying the summons was inflicted by the ancient Scandinavians, as recorded by Olaus Magnus, in his history of the Goths. […]
The words behind it
25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ | vaiyelekhu | and they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֜ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל | hagilgal | <the> Gilgal | H1537 → | 41 times |
| וַיַּמְלִכוּ֩ | vaiyamlikhu | and they made king | H4427 → | 348 times |
| שָׁ֨ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שָׁא֜וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| לִפְנֵ֤י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל | bagilgal | in <the> Gilgal | H1537 → | 41 times |
| וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ | vaiyizbechu- | and they sacrificed | H2076 → | 134 times |
| שָׁ֛ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| זְבָחִ֥ים | zevachim | sacrifices | H2077 → | 162 times |
| שְׁלָמִ֖ים | shelamim | peace offerings | H8002 → | 87 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיִּשְׂמַ֨ח | vaiyismach | and he rejoiced | H8055 → | 155 times |
| שָׁ֥ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| שָׁא֛וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אַנְשֵׁ֥י | ʾanshei | [the] men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | up to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| מְאֹֽד׃ פ | meod | muchness | H3966 → | 300 times |
וַיֵּלְכ֨וּand they went
vaiyelekhuH1980 →1546 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֜םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל<the> Gilgal
hagilgalH1537 →41 times
וַיַּמְלִכוּ֩and they made king
vaiyamlikhuH4427 →348 times
שָׁ֨םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שָׁא֜וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
לִפְנֵ֤י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בַּגִּלְגָּ֔לin <the> Gilgal
bagilgalH1537 →41 times
וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־and they sacrificed
vaiyizbechu-H2076 →134 times
שָׁ֛םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
זְבָחִ֥יםsacrifices
zevachimH2077 →162 times
שְׁלָמִ֖יםpeace offerings
shelamimH8002 →87 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיִּשְׂמַ֨חand he rejoiced
vaiyismachH8055 →155 times
שָׁ֥םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
שָׁא֛וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אַנְשֵׁ֥י[the] men of
ʾansheiH582 →566 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עַד־up to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
מְאֹֽד׃ פmuchness
meodH3966 →300 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
1 Samuel 10:8And you shall go before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 11:14–15
Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.”
- 1 Samuel 13:4
And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
- 1 Samuel 13:8–15
And Saul waited seven days for the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops began to desert Saul.
- 1 Samuel 15:33
But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
- 1 Samuel 11:14–15
Through
1 Samuel 12:17Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 8:7
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as…
- Proverbs 26:1
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
- 1 Samuel 7:9–10
Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
- 1 Samuel 8:7
Through
1 Samuel 10:17After this, Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah
it leads to
- Judges 20:1
Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
- Judges 20:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited monarchySaulIsrael's first king, head and shoulders above the people; began in humility, ended in rejection — sparing what God devoted, consul…
- PlaceJordan valley near JerichoGilgalIsrael's first Canaan camp where the stones were set and the reproach rolled away (Josh 4-5); later a corrupted shrine the prophet…
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
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; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.