1 Samuel 11

1 Samuel · Chapter 11

1 Samuel 11:2

1Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.2And 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.3And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.4Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.5And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.6And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.7And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.8And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.9And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.11And 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.12And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.13And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.14Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.15And 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
2And 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.But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition, that I may put out everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.”And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

to themאֲלֵיהֶ֗ם'a-lei-HEMH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Nahashנָחָשׁ֙na-CHASHH5176G
Nahash

נָחָשׁ (na.chash) A man of the Ammonites living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.11.1 § Nahash = "serpent" 1) a king of the Ammonites during the time of king Saul 2) the father of Abigail, the mother of Amasa, the commander of Absalom's army

the Ammoniteהָעַמּוֹנִ֔יha-'a-mo-NIH5984H
Meunite

עַמּוֹנִי (am.mo.ni) Someone descended from Meunit(?) of the Canaanites, first mentioned at 1Ch.4.41 Group of me.u.ni (מְעוּנִים "Meunite" H4586) § Ammonite, of Ammon "tribal" descendants of Ammon and inhabitants of Ammon

by thisבְּזֹאת֙be-zoTH2063
this

זֹאת (zot) 1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus …

I will makeאֶכְרֹ֣ת'ekh-ROTH3772H
to cut: cut

כָּרַת (ka.rat) : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off

by gouging outבִּנְק֥וֹרbin-KORH5365
to dig

נָקַר (na.qar) 1) to bore, pick, dig, pick out 1a) (Qal) to bore, pick, dig 1b) (Piel) to bore out 1c) (Pual) to be dug out

everyכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

eye ofעֵ֣ין'einH5869A
eye

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

[the] right [side]יָמִ֑יןya-MINH3225G
right

יָמִין (ya.min) 1) right, right hand, right side 1a) right hand 1b) right (of direction) 1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East) Also means: ya.min (יָמִין ": south" H3225H)

and I will make itוְשַׂמְתִּ֥יהָve-sam-TI-haH7760HNo entry
a reproachחֶרְפָּ֖הcher-PAHH2781
reproach

חֶרְפָּה (cher.pah) 1) reproach, scorn 1a) taunt, scorn (upon enemy) 1b) reproach (resting upon condition of shame, disgrace) 1c) a reproach (an object)

onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃YIS-ra-'ELH3478
Jacob

יַעֲקֹב (ya.a.qov) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.