SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:1
¶ Y subió Nahas amonita, y asentó campamento contra Jabes de Galaad. Y todos los de Jabes dijeron a Nahas: Haz alianza con nosotros, y te serviremos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 11:1
Verse 1. Nahash the Ammonite] In the Vulgate this chapter begins thus: Et factum est quasi post mensem, "And it came to pass about a month after." This addition appears also in the principal copies of the Septuagint; though it is wanting in the Complutensian edition, both in the Greek and Latin, and is not acknowledged by any of the Oriental versions. But it is in Josephus, and probably was inserted from him into some copies of the Septuagint, and thence into the Vulgate. It appears to be of very little authority. We know little about Nahash; there was a king of this name among the Ammonites in the time of David, 2 Sam. x. 2, but probably not the same person. Nahash might have been a common name of the Ammonitish kings.
Make a covenant with us] They found they were in no condition to risk a war; and they wish to have peace, and desire to know his conditions.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead , etc.] A month after, as in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, that is, a month after Saul was chosen king; so Josephus f211 : this prince was preparing for war against Israel before, which they hearing of, requested they might have a king to go before them in battle, ( 1 Samuel 12:12) but now he actually marched from his own country, and besieged Jabeshgilead, a city in the land of Gilead, from whence it had its name, and lay in the half tribe of Manasseh, on the other side Jordan, (see Judges 21:8). It lay near to the Ammonites, and was part of the country they laid claim to in the times of Jephthah, which they now renewed, and attempted to gain it by force. This Nahash was king of the Ammonites, as he is called in the Targum, and by Josephus f212 , and so in the Arabic version, (see Samuel 12:12) and all the men of Jabeshgilead said unto Nahash, make a covenant with us ; they desired to be his allies and confederates, live in peace and friendship with him, and enjoy their religion and liberties on certain conditions they were willing to come into; and this was the sense of them all, or at least the greatest part, which showed a mean and abject spirit in them, to make no defence of themselves, but as soon as besieged to move for a capitulation. This doubtless arose from a sense of their weakness, not being able to hold it out long, and from an apprehension that their brethren the Israelites, on the other side Jordan, could give them no assistance, being in an unsettled condition, having chosen a king, and he scarcely on the throne, and the Philistines having great power over them: and we will serve thee ; not as slaves, but as tributaries; they were willing to pay a yearly tax to him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - The first fruit of Saul's government was the rescue of Jabesh-gilea from the Ammonites. To save their lives, men will part with liberty and even consent to have their eyes put out; is it then no wisdom to part with that sin which is as dear to us as our right eye, rather tha to be cast into hell-fire? See the faith and confidence of Saul, and grounded thereon, his courage and resolution. See also his activity in this business. When the Spirit of the Lord comes upon men, it will make them expert, even without experience. When zeal for the glory of God and love for the brethren, urge men to earnest efforts, and when God is pleased to help, great effects may speedily be produced.
Original Hebrew
ויעל 5927 נחשׁ 5176 העמוני 5984 ויחן 2583 על 5921 יבשׁ 3003 גלעד 1568 ויאמרו 559 כל 3605 אנשׁי 376 יבישׁ 3003 אל 413 נחשׁ 5176 כרת 3772 לנו ברית 1285 ונעבדך׃ 5647
