12: Saul rescues Jabesh and the kingship was strengthened ( 1Samuel 11:1 – 15)

Although some people doubted Saul’s capability as a king (10:27), when the Lord enabled Saul to defeat the Ammonites, all the Israelites were happy to acknowledge Saul as their king.

πŸ‘‰ Read 1Samuel 11:1 - 15


Q1. Nahash, the Ammonite king requested the people of Jabesh Gilead to gouge out their eyes as a condition of surrender. Why do you think this is humiliating all of Israel? (v2-3)

Nahash thought no one from other Israelite towns would come to save Jaesh Gilead. 

By the way, Jabesh Gileah was a town on the east side of Jordan that was destroyed once by their fellow Israelites because no one had come to the national gathering at Mizpah regarding the issue of the Benjaminites in Judges 21. 



Q2. How did God intervene in this situation? (three places, from v6 – 15)

God encouraged Saul with his anger (v6)

God put terror in the people's hearts to join the battle (v7)

God gave them victory (v13)



Q3. After the victory, Samuel called all Israel to Gigal to (            ) the kingship. They offered (                  ) to the Lord. (             ) and all the Israelites were very happy. 

After the victory, Samuel called all Israel to Gigal to ( renew  ) the kingship. They offered ( the peace offering  ) to the Lord. ( Saul  ) and all the Israelites were very happy.

It was not when Saul was elected in chapter 10 that the kingship was established, but when Saul rescued Jabesh Gilead. The peace was not offered until they experienced the victory. They should have celebrated and rejoiced before the Lord in chapter 10, but didn’t. They doubted salvation through Saul. This shows their lack of faith. God’s deliverance was presumed when He granted the dynasty and chose a king for them.

Also, note that Samuel was not as happy as Saul and the Israelites, for he saw that people reacted to the visible experience of victory rather than the goodness of God.







It was the Lord who chose Saul at their request and established his kingship through the battle.

Do you have faith to rejoice when a promise is made, or do you only find joy after the promise is fulfilled?


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