Saul defeateth the Ammonites, and delivereth Jabes Galaad.
Ammonites fighting against Iabes Galaad, and the citie readie to yelde, 5. Saul gathereth an armie, 11. ouerthroweth the enimie, 14. and is established King.
1And it came to pass about a month after this, that Naas, the Ammonite, came up, and began to fight against Jabes Galaad. And all the men of Jabes said to Naas: Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.E avvenne, che circa un mese dopo si mosse Naas Ammonite, e principiò ad assediare Jabes di Galaad. E tutti gli uomini di Jabes dissero a Naas: Prendici in confederazione, e sarem tuoi servi.AND it came to passe as it were a moneth after, Naas the Ammonite ascended, and began to fight against Iabes of Galaad. And al the men of Iabes sayd to Naas: Make a league with vs, and we wil serue thee.Et factum est quasi post mensem, ascendit Naas Ammonites, et pugnare cœpit adversum Jabes Galaad. Dixeruntque omnes viri Jabes ad Naas: Habeto nos fœderatos, et serviemus tibi. 2And Naas, the Ammonite, answered them: On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may pluck out all your right eyes, and make you a reproach in all Israel.Ma Naas Ammonite rispose loro: La confederazione che io farò con voi sarà di cavarvi a tutti quanti l'occhio destro, e di rendervi l'obbrobrio di tutto Israele.And Naas the Ammonite answered them: In this wil I make a league with you, that I may plucke out the right eyes of you al, and may make you a reproch•• al Israel.Et respondit ad eos Naas Ammonites: In hoc feriam vobiscum fœdus, ut eruam omnium vestrum oculos dextros, ponamque vos opprobrium in universo Israël. 3And the ancients of Jabes said to him: Allow us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the coasts of Israel: and if there be no one to defend us, we will come out to thee.E i seniori d'Jabes gli dissero: Concedi a noi sette giorni, affinchè mandiamo nunzii per tutto Israele: e se non vi sarà chi prenda la nostra difesa, ci arrenderemo a te.And the ancientes of Iabes sayd to him: Graunt vnto vs seuen daies, that we may send messengers vnto al the coastes of Israel: and if there shal not be that may defend vs, we wil come forth to thee.Et dixerunt ad eum seniores Jabes: Concede nobis septem dies, ut mittamus nuntios ad universos terminos Israël, et si non fuerit qui defendat nos, egrediemur ad te. 4The messengers therefore came to Gabaa of Saul: and they spoke these words in the hearing of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.Venner pertanto i messaggieri a Gabaa (patria) di Saul, e riferirono queste cose dinanzi al popolo: e tutto il popolo alzò la voce, e pianse.The messengers therefore came into Gabaa of Saul: and they spake these wordes, in the hearing of the people: and al the people lifted vp their voice, and wept.Venerunt ergo nuntii in Gabaa Saulis: et locuti sunt verba hæc, audiente populo: et levavit omnis populus vocem suam, et flevit.
5And behold Saul came, following oxen out of the field, and he said: What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabes.Quand'ecco Saul tornava dal campo, seguendo i bovi, e disse: che ha egli il popolo che piange? E raccontarono a lui le parole degli uomini di Jabes.And behold Saul came, folowing oxen out of the field, and sayd: What ayleth the people that they weepe? And they told him the wordes of the men of Iabes.Et ecce Saul veniebat, sequens boves de agro, et ait: Quid habet populus quod plorat ? Et narraverunt ei verba virorum Jabes. 6And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, when he had heard these words, and his anger was exceedingly kindled.E lo Spirito del Signore investì Saul, udite che ebbe quelle parole, e si accese di furore stragrande.And the Spirit of our Lord seased on Saul, when he had heard these wordes, and his furie was exceding wrath.Et insilivit spiritus Domini in Saul cum audisset verba hæc, et iratus est furor ejus nimis. 7And taking both the oxen, he cut them in pieces, and sent them into all the coasts of Israel, by messengers, saying: Whosoever shall not come forth, and follow Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell upon the people, and they went out as one man.E preso l'uno e l'altro bue li mise in pezzi, e li mandò per tutte le parti d'Israele per mano dei messaggieri, dicendo: Chiunque non si moverà, e non andrà dietro a Saul, e a Samuele, saran così trattati i suoi bovi. Entrò adunque nel popolo il timor del Signore, e si mossero, come se fossero un sol uomo.And taking both the oxen, he cutte them into peeces, and sent them into al the coastes of Israel by messengers, saving: Whosoeuer shal not goe forth, and folow Saul and Samuel, so shal it be done to his oxen. Therefore the feare of our Lord inuaded the people, and they went forth as it were one man.Et assumens utrumque bovem, concidit in frustra, misitque in omnes terminos Israël per manum nuntiorum, dicens: Quicumque non exierit, et secutus fuerit Saul et Samuel, sic fiet bobus ejus. Invasit ergo timor Domini populum, et egressi sunt quasi vir unus. 8And he numbered them in Bezec: and there were of the children of Israel three hundred thousand: and of the men of Juda thirty thousand.Ed ei ne fece la rassegna a Bezech: ed erano i figliuoli d'Israele trecento mila: e gli uomini di Giuda trenta mila.And he numbered them in Bezec: and there were of the children of Israel three hundred thousand: and of the men of Iuda thirtie thousand.Et recensuit eos in Bezech: fueruntque filiorum Israël trecenta millia, virorum autem Juda triginta millia.
9And they said to the messengers that came: Thus shall you say to the men of Jabes Galaad: To morrow, when the sun shall be hot, you shall have relief. The messengers therefore came, and told the men of Jabes, and they were glad.E dissero a que' messaggieri che eran venuti: Direte così agli uomini di Jabes di Galaad: Domane, quando il sole scalderà, sarete salvi. I messaggeri adunque partirono, e portarono l'avviso a quelli di Jabes, i quali si rallegrarono,And they sayd to the messengers that came Thus shal you say to the men, that are in Iabes Galaad: To morow, when the sunne shal waxe hote, you shal haue relife. The messengers therefore came, and told the men of Iabes: Who were glad.Et dixerunt nuntiis qui venerant: Sic dicetis viris qui sunt in Jabes Galaad: Cras erit vobis salus, cum incaluerit sol. Venerunt ergo nuntii, et annuntiaverunt viris Jabes: qui lætati sunt. 10And they said: In the morning we will come out to you: and you shall do what you please with us.E dissero (a' nemici): Domattina verremo a voi, e farete di noi quello che vi parrà.And they said: In the morning we wil come forth to you: and you shal doe to vs whatsoeuer shal please you.Et dixerunt: Mane exibimus ad vos: et facietis nobis omne quod placuerit vobis. 11And it came to pass, when the morrow was come, that Saul put the people in three companies: and he came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and he slew the Ammonites until the day grew hot, and the rest were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.E venuto il dì seguente, Saul fece tre parti del popolo: ed entrò nel mezzo degli alloggiamenti nella vigilia del mattino, e trucidò gli Ammoniti, fino a tanto che il sole principiò a scaldare: e que' che restarono, furon dispersi in guisa che non se ne videro due insieme.And it came to passe, when the morow was come, Saul sette the people into three partes: and entered into the middes of the campe in the morning watch, and stroke Ammon vntil the day waxed hote, and the rest were dispersed, so that there were not left among them two together.Et factum est, cum dies crastinus venisset, constituit Saul populum in tres partes: et ingressus est media castra in vigilia matutina, et percussit Ammon usque dum incalesceret dies: reliqui autem dispersi sunt, ita ut non relinquerentur in eis duo pariter. 12And the people said to Samuel: Who is he that said: Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men, and we will kill them.E il popolo disse a Samuele: Chi son coloro che hanno detto: Sarà egli nostro re Saul? Dateci costoro, e li metteremo a morte.And the people sayd to Samuel: Who is this that said: what shal Saul reigne ouer vs? Geue vs the men and we wil kil them.Et ait populus ad Samuelem: Quis est iste qui dixit: Saul num regnabit super nos ? Date viros, et interficiemus eos.
13And Saul said: No man shall be killed this day: because the Lord this day hath wrought salvation in Israel:Ma Saul disse: Non sarà messo a morte nissuno in questo giorno, perchè oggi il Signore ha salvato Israele.And Saul sayd: No man shal be killed this day, because our Lord this day hath releued Israel:Et ait Saul: Non occidetur quisquam in die hac, quia hodie fecit Dominus salutem in Israël. 14And Samuel said to the people: Come, and let us go to Galgal, and let us renew the kingdom there.E Samuele disse al popolo: Venite, andiamo a Galgala, e ivi confermiamo il regno.And Samuel said to the people: Come and let vs goe into Galgal, and let vs renewe there a kingdome.Dixit autem Samuel ad populum: Venite, et eamus in Galgala, et innovemus ibi regnum. 15And all the people went to Galgal, and there they made Saul king, before the Lord in Galgal, and they sacrificed there victims of peace before the Lord. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly.E tutto il popolo andò a Galgala, e in Galgala fecero re Saulle dinanzi al Signore, e immolarono al Signore ostie pacifiche. E Saul e tutti gli uomini d'Israele fecero ivi gran festa.And al the people went into Galgal, and there they made Saul king before our Lord in Galgal, & they immolated there pacifique victimes before our Lord. And Saul reioysed there, and al the men of Israel excedingly.Et perrexit omnis populus in Galgala, et fecerunt ibi regem Saul coram Domino in Galgala, et immolaverunt ibi victimas pacificas coram Domino. Et lætatus est ibi Saul, et cuncti viri Israël nimis.
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Year of the World 2909.
Calmet
After this. So far is omitted in the Hebrew, etc., but we find it in most editions of the Septuagint and in Josephus. (Calmet)
Josephus
Fight. He had threatened an invasion before, and had perhaps (Haydock) attacked some of the tribes on the east side of the Jordan, and treated them with the same cruelty as he intended for those of Jabes, which was a city of the first consequence. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] 6:5.)
Calmet
Naas, "a serpent." There was a king of this country of the same name, in the days of David. The people had been quiet since Jephte had made such havoc among them, about ninety years before. (Judges xi.) (Calmet)
Haydock
Covenant. They were willing to pay him tribute. But it seems they had offered him some insult, which made the king resolve to punish them more severely. They make no mention of Saul, as they did not wish to let the king know of his election; (Salien) and perhaps had no great confidence in him, (Haydock) as he was not yet fully confirmed in his dignity, (Calmet) and had let a whole month pass without taking any measures for the deliverance of his country, though it was on that pretext that he was elected. (Haydock)
They considered what had passed as of no consequence, 1 Kings 12:12.
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Calmet
Eyes: strange proposal! He would not render them quite blind, that he might not be deprived of their service. But he wished to render them unfit for war, (Calmet) as the buckler covers the left eye; (Josephus) and people who shoot with bow and arrow, keep it closed. (Calmet)
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Salien
Of Saul. Septuagint, "to Saul," which may remove the surprise of Abulensis, that the king is not mentioned. (Salien)
Saul was absent at the time, so that they made known the threatening danger to the people.
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Calmet
Field. So David fed sheep, even after he was anointed king. The ancients had very different sentiments of royalty from what we have. Their kings and great men did not esteem it beneath them to cultivate the earth. Several of them wrote on the subject. Jura dabat populis, posito modo praetor aratro, Pascebatque suas ipse Senator oves. (Ovid, Fast. I.) Many of the most eminent Roman generals were taken from the plough. (Calmet)
Cicero
Xenophon introduces the younger Cyrus, saying, "Many of these trees were planted with my own hands." (Cicero, Senect. 17.)
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Oxen, with which he had been ploughing.
Haydock
Pieces. Hebrew does not say that he sent them; and Josephus intimates, that he only "hamstrung them, and sent messengers," etc. (Haydock)
Calmet
But such actions are far more impressive than words. See Judges 19:29., and Acts 21:10., etc. (Calmet)
Haydock
Samuel. Saul adds the name of the prophet, as the people had still great confidence in him, and he always acted as God's envoy. (Haydock)
Salien
Oxen. He does not threaten capital punishment, but insinuates that both duty and interest require the presence of all. (Salien)
Of the Lord; that is, a great fear: (Calmet) or, God moved the people to shew a ready obedience and reverence to their king's commands.
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Calmet
Bezec, where Adonibezec had reigned, (Judges 1.; Menochius) near the place where they crossed the Jordan, a little below Scythopolis, to go to Jabes, which was about thirty miles distant. (Calmet)
Kennicott
Thousand. Josephus makes the army consist of 770,000, who were collected at Bala. Septuagint have 600,000 of Israel; and they agree with this author, in allowing also 70,000 to Juda alone. But this is a larger army than what came out of Egypt, and exceeds the limits of probability, unless all assembled, as the preceding verse seems (Haydock) to insinuate; (Menochius) and we find far greater numbers, 2 Paralipomenon 13:3, 17., if no (Haydock) error have there crept in. (Kennicott)
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Hot. Josephus says, Saul "being seized with the divine spirit, ordered them to inform the citizens of Jabes, that he would come to their assistance on the third day, and rout the enemy before the sun arose." But the message of which the Scripture here speaks, (Haydock) was sent from Bezec. Saul, in effect, came upon the Ammonites unawares before it was light, gained a complete victory, (Calmet) and then pursued the fugitives till noon.
11:10
Calmet
To you, Naas, (Haydock) which they speak in irony, and that the enemy may be off his guard. (Calmet)
Worthington
We must thus deceive our passions, that we may not be blinded (Haydock) or slain by them. (St. Gregory, 5:1. in Reg.) (Worthington)
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Camp. It was not then customary to throw up any fortifications, but only to place sentinels in all the avenues.
Calmet
Watch, which ended at sunrise. (Calmet)
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Salien
Them. It seems there were but few discontented persons. (Salien)
Haydock
They address themselves to Samuel, who they knew had not regarded their request of a king with approbation, as if to give him a little mortification. But he makes a proposal of confirming the election with still greater solemnity, if they persevered in their resolution, (Haydock) as he intimated they might still recede, (Calmet) and be content with the former mode of government, as being far better. (Haydock)
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Menochius
They made. Septuagint, "and there (again the prophet; Josephus) Samuel anointed Saul king." The same ceremonies as had been used before, except the casting lots, were here repeated, particularly the solemn anointing, (Salien) whence, in the following chapter, (ver. 3) Saul is styled the anointed. (Menochius)
Salien
The Lord. His ark was probably present, and the priest to offer victims. (Salien, the year of the world 2963.)
11:10
As the men of Iabes deluded their enimies by aequiuocation, so speaking that they were otherwise vnderstood then they ment: so the seruantes of God being tempted with concupiscence of glutoni• (signified by Naas) must deceiue their carnal appetite, by promising to satisfie the desire of the flesh, but in deede kepe such temperance, as they may kil the cōcupiscence, and not be killed by it. S. Greg. li. 5. c. 1. in 1. Reg. 11.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 4
… iii. 3 ); Elisha leaving all ( 1 Kings xix. 21 ); Ezekiel again, made manifest by what happened thereafter. In this manner, you see, did these also leave all that they had. They learnt also what human infirmity is, by what they suffered; they learnt that it was not in vain they had done these good works. ( 1 Sam. ix. and
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1. MAKE A COVENANT WITH US, — that is to say, make a pact with us, as the Septuagint translates. But the Chaldean, Decree for us a pact, and we shall serve you; as if to say: We shall be your subjects and servants, but as allies, not conquered in war and captured by hand, as if slaves.
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2. In this I will make a covenant with you, that I may tear out the right eyes of all of you, — both for shame and reproach, as follows; and that I may render you half-blind and useless for war: "For soldiers cover their left eye with a shield, but conduct the matter of battle with the right." Thus Abulensis. Dionysius adds a third reason, namely that Naas wished by this blinding of the Jabesites to strike terror of himself into all the Hebrews, lest anyone thereafter dare to rebel against him for fear of a like punishment. Tropologically Naas in Hebrew is the same as serpent, namely the devil, "who tears out the right eyes of his own, when those abstaining from him and conquered, he so prevails through gluttony, that they desire only carnal things, and do not attend to spiritual things, which they were accustomed to love," says St. Gregory, Beda and Angelomus; for spiritual things are the right, that is the superior and better things; and therefore are to be beheld with the right and better eye: but carnal things are the left, that is the viler things; and therefore are to be glanced at with the left and viler eye. With the right we look up to heaven and heavenly things; with the left we look down upon earth and earthly things.
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3. Grant us seven days, — to seek counsel and aid from the other Hebrews. Naas granted them this, proud man that he was, not from piety, but from arrogance, says Dionysius, thinking that no one would dare to come to their aid, or to meet him in battle.
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5. AND BEHOLD SAUL CAME FOLLOWING OXEN FROM THE FIELD. — "He came," says Hugh, "following oxen from the field; not as a keeper of oxen, because this would be unbecoming, that a king should be a cowherd; but it happened by chance, that when Saul was returning from the field, the oxen went before him on the way." So also Lyra and Dionysius. See and marvel here at the simplicity and modesty of the first kings, Saul and David, and at the dignity and excellence of agriculture; inasmuch as it was once practiced by kings and princes. Thus Romulus, Remus, Curius, Fabricius, and the first Roman Senators and Princes were ploughmen and farmers. Hear Propertius, book IV: Hear Philo, in the book On Abel and Cain: "Moses," he says, "deeming the pastoral art noble, himself was occupied in this pursuit." And St. Basil: "Do not despise a man when you hear he is a shepherd. The first who pleased God, Abel, was a shepherd. Moses, that great lawgiver, on Mount Horeb tended flocks; and through the pastoral life he came to converse with God. The pastoral life and the administration of a kingdom are as sisters. Wherefore the Lord embraced both, and is both shepherd and king."
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6. AND HIS ANGER WAS KINDLED EXCEEDINGLY. - Saul sharpened a just anger against Naas the idolater and tyrant, who was making such unworthy demands of the Israelites, who were already subject to God and to him as their king; so that this very thing would be a test of his virtue, and since it stirred him to just vengeance against him and to the defense of his subjects, there was need for a heroic and lofty spirit for this work, especially in so sudden a matter, when he had no soldiers, and the enemy and the narrowness of time pressed hard. Hear St. Basil, homily 10 On Anger: "Indignation of the soul," he says, "is the nerve, providing strength and constancy for doing things well; which, restraining the soul delighted and wanton in pleasure, as if with iron, made it more austere and stronger from soft and slack." And a little later: "Anger," he says, "we use as if with weapons. Therefore Moses, the gentlest of all men, condemning the idolatry of the calf, armed the hands of the Levites for the slaughter of their brothers. What made Phinehas just? Was it not anger against the fornicators, who, though otherwise mild and gentle, immediately slew both; and did not Samuel, moved by just anger, drag forth the king of Amalec and slay him? Thus anger often becomes the servant of good actions. Elias truly, the Zealot, by just indignation against the wicked priests, brought it about for the benefit of all Israel that they be punished by death." Wherefore St. Ambrose, book I of Duties, chapter xxi: "Be angry," he says, "where there is fault that moves to anger; for it cannot be that we are not moved by the indignity of things; otherwise it is judged not virtue, but remissness and negligence." Tropologically St. Gregory: "Behold," he says, "that Saul might be able to be angry exceedingly, first the spirit of the Lord leaped upon him. How fearful therefore we see is the anger of the Saints, if we consider the spirit of the Lord leaping upon them, if while we see them angry outwardly, we likewise attend to the spirit moving within them; whenever therefore we are corrected by the zeal of our elders, we can greatly fear under their indignation, if we believe their impulse to be the motion of the Holy Spirit."
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7. AND TAKING BOTH THE OXEN, HE HEWED THEM IN PIECES. - Saul imitated the example of the Levite, who, cutting in pieces his wife slain by rape, scattered them throughout all Israel, and thus inflamed all to vengeance for the rape, Judges xix, 29. Thus the novelty of the cutting up, of the new king threatening to do the same to the oxen of whoever withdrew himself from the war, impelled all to repel the common danger with common spirit and arms. For they feared the tyrant Naas, lest, having subdued and blinded the Galaadites, growing insolent in victory, he should proceed across the Jordan, and there with like savagery put all the Hebrews under the yoke and blind them. They also feared the angers and threats of their king Saul. Finally they feared God the avenger, lest if they abandoned their king constituted by him, they should be delivered by him into the hands of Naas. WHOEVER SHALL NOT COME FORTH AND FOLLOW SAUL AND SAMUEL, THUS SHALL IT BE DONE TO HIS OXEN. - Hence it is clear that Samuel was present with the admonitions of God to Saul, and was present in the camps and in the battle, so that he might encourage all to it, and by his prayers and merits might obtain victory for them from God. Whence also when victory was obtained, verse 12, the people say to Samuel: "Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us?" And verse 14: "Samuel said to the people," etc., so Samuel was present at this whole dangerous business of war, indeed he presided over it with Saul, as it were the judge and avenger of Israel. Note here: Saul was good so long as he followed Samuel as his director; but when he neglected his admonitions and commands, he became evil and reprobate. Again, Saul here prefers himself to Samuel, as if king of all Israel, and therefore more worthy; although Samuel was holier than he. THUS SHALL IT BE DONE TO HIS OXEN. - But why does he not threaten the same to the men themselves? Rabbi Solomon answers, according to Lyra and Abulensis: "He did not wish," he says, "to threaten the penalty of death or mutilation of a limb, lest at the beginning of his reign he should seem to begin with great severity." Dionysius agrees: "Saul threatened," he says, "the taking away of cattle."
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8. AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND, AND OF THE MEN OF JUDA THIRTY THOUSAND. - Josephus falsely, so as to show the strength of his Israelites to Vespasian and the Romans, says there were seven hundred thousand from Israel, and seventy from the tribe of Juda. Although the Septuagint here numbers six hundred thousand of Israel, and seventy from the tribe of Juda. Mystically, Bezech in Hebrew is the same as lightning or want, which Beda, drawing it to mystery, says: "All the faithful, citizens of the eternal homeland, are to be numbered and gathered together in Christ the Lord, who is compared to lightning, Luke XVII, 24."
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9. TOMORROW SHALL BE YOUR SALVATION. - Marvel here at the prudence and swiftness of Saul, who in one day gathered such great forces, arranged them, marched against the enemy with great speed, fought, conquered, triumphed, so that he could say with Julius Caesar: "I came, I saw, I conquered." Hence it is evident that Josephus, and from him the Master of the Scholastic History, less truly suppose for tomorrow the third day. "It is credible," says Dionysius, "that Samuel knew by divine revelation that Saul with his men would triumph." WHEN THE SUN GREW HOT. — Mystically, Blessed Peter Damian, book VI, epistle 3: "When," he says, "the mind, previously weakened by sloth, returning to itself, grows hot again with desire of its Creator; when it abandons the torpor of negligence, and the flame of holy love kindles the cold of former insensibility; then, as it were with the sun growing hot, victory is won over the enemy."
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11. SAUL DIVIDED (arranged) THE PEOPLE INTO THREE PARTS, — so that with triple columns and triple formations they might burst unexpectedly into the enemy's camp; and thus they would overwhelm them and occupy them, lest any of them escape. Mystically, Blessed Peter Damian, book VI of the Epistles, epistle 5: "What is it," he says, "that he divided the people into three parts, except that there are three principal virtues of the soul: namely faith, hope and charity? By these three virtues, with Christ as leader, every diabolical temptation is conquered." AND HE ENTERED THE MIDST OF THE CAMP IN THE MORNING WATCH, - so that he might attack and crush them while they were asleep or half-asleep. Joshua used a similar stratagem in chapter x, verse 9, and defeated the Amorite. See the remarks there. AND HE SMOTE AMMON, — namely the Ammonites. Josephus adds that their king Naas himself was slain.
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13. AND SAUL SAID: NO ONE SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH THIS DAY, - because this day is a day of joy, victory and triumph, which it is not fitting to defile, mar, stain with the slaughter and mourning of citizens, says Josephus, Abulensis and Dionysius.
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14. LET US GO TO GALGAL, AND RENEW THE KINGDOM. - Samuel chose Galgal, both because this place was near the Jordan, beside which the battle was fought and victory won; and because Galgal was a celebrated place on account of Joshua's camp in chapter v; and because Samuel was accustomed to judge the people in Galgal. There therefore the assembly of the people and public comitia took place; in which Samuel therefore wished to renew the kingdom of Saul, that is, to confirm it with the new rejoicing of the people over so great a victory of his. Whence it is probable that Samuel here again anointed Saul as king, and adorned him with the other insignia of kingship. Hence Josephus, book VI, chapter IV, asserts that Saul was anointed in Maspha and in Galgal. Saul was therefore anointed three times by Samuel: first, secretly and privately in chapter x, verse 1; second, publicly in Maspha; third, after the victory, publicly likewise in Galgal. Thus Abulensis, Sanchez, Serarius and others. So also David was anointed three times as king: first, privately in his father's house, chapter xvi, verse 13; second, publicly in Hebron "over the tribe of Judah," II Kings chapter II, verse 4; third, chapter v, verse 3, there "over all Israel."
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15. AND THEY OFFERED THERE PEACE OFFERINGS, - in thanksgiving for the peace of Israel brought about through the victory of Saul; and in petition that this peace might be firm and constant both for Israel and for Saul. For in the exultation of so great a victory and in the inauguration of the new king and triumpher Saul, it was fitting that these sacrifices be offered for public rejoicing "in Galgal," even though the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle, or the altar of holocausts were not there.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
11:1
… Besieged by Nahash, king of the Ammonites, it was liberated by Saul (1 Sam. 11:1-11). Later, the inhabitants of Jabesh made it their duty promptly to recover the corpse of the latter, decapitated and hung by the Philistines on the walls of Beth-shan, and then to cremate …
Naas (Hebrew: Nāḥāš «Serpent»)
… Saul hastened up and defeated the Ammonites (I Sam. 11:1-11; 12:12). N.'s relations with David were on the other hand cordial (II Sam. 10:2; I Chron. 19:1).
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1. A Transjordanian Israelite city, commonly called Jabesh-Gilead (Judg. 21:8, 10, 12, 41; 1 Sam. 11:1, 9; 31:11; 2 Sam. 2:4, 5; 21:12; 1 Chron. 10:11), sometimes simply Jabesh (1 Sam. 11:3, 5, 18, etc.).
11:5
… In the biblical prophetic books and in the Apocalypse there are many symbolic visions, symbolic actions, symbolic numbers, etc. Symbolic actions are also found in several historical books, e.g., those performed by Samuel (1 Sam. 11, 5-7), by Jonathan (ibid. 20, 20-22), by the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh (who, by dividing his cloak into twelve parts, symbolized the division of Solomon's Kingdom: 1 Kings 11, 29-39), by …
11:8
Adonibezec (Heb. "Lord of Bezek"; dynastic title rather than proper name)
… "Lord of Bezek"; dynastic title rather than proper name). - Canaanite king of Bezeq, a city identified by some with present-day Bezhab southeast of Lydda, by others with the Bezeq of Saul (1 Sam. 11:8), perhaps Hirbet Ibziq between Nablus and Beisan. …
11:11
… Bēnē-ʿAmmōn "children of Ammon," twice [1 Sam. 11:11; Ps. 83 Hebr., 8] only ʿAmmōnī, gentilic adjective ʿammōnī; Septuagint υἱοὶ Ἀμμών and Ἀμμάνι; Num. 21:24 Ἀμμάνιται; Assyrian Bit-Ammāni) descended from Ammon (v.) and therefore brother …
Ark (of the Covenant), Ark of the Testimony
… Israelites in the desert, then was at Shiloh until the time of Samuel (Josh. 18:1, 8-10; Judg. 20:18, 27; 21:2, 19; I Sam. 1:3, 21, 24; 2:14); from Shiloh it was carried as a pledge of divine protection into battle (Judg. 20:18 (Heb.), 28; II Sam. 4:3; I Sam. 11:11). Captured by the Philistines, because of the misfortunes it caused it was soon returned (I Sam. 4-6). It rested at Beth-shemesh, then remained at Kiriath-jearim (ibid. 6:12-7:2), …
11:15
Gilgal, Gilgala (Heb. Hag-Gilgâl "The Circle")
… Samuel, every year, at the great assemblies, visited its sanctuary (I Sam. 6:16); Saul was proclaimed king there and there later lost the kingdom and his descendants (I Sam. 10:8; 11:15; 13:5; 15:12). David was received there festively by the tribe of Judah on his return from his flight into Transjordan (II Sam. 19:16). After G. later became a center of idolatry, …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.