1 Samuele 11:2 Commento

In this chapter we have the first-fruits of Saul's government, in the glorious rescue of Jabesh-Gilead out of the hands of the Ammonites. Let not Israel thence infer that therefore they did well to ask a king (God could and would have saved them without one); but let them admire God's goodness, that he did not reject them when they rejected him, and acknowledge his wisdom in the choice of the person whom, if he did not find fit, yet he made fit, for the great trust he called him to, and enabled, in some measure, to merit the crown by his public services, before it was fixed on his head by the public approbation. Here is, I. The great extremity to which the city of Jabesh-Gilead, on the other side of Jordan, was reduced by the Ammonites (Sa1 11:1-3). II. Saul's great readiness to come to their relief, whereby he signalized himself (Sa1 11:4-10). III. The good success of his attempt, by which God signalized him (Sa1 11:11). IV. Saul's tenderness, notwithstanding this, towards those that had opposed him (Sa1 11:12, Sa1 11:13). V. The public confirmation and recognition of his election to the government (Sa1 11:14, Sa1 11:15).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 11 This chapter relates the distress the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead were in on account of the Ammonites, Sa1 11:1 upon which they sent messengers to Saul, whose spirit was immediately stirred up to help them, Sa1 11:4, and prepared for it, and came up soon enough for their relief, and slew their enemies, Sa1 11:7, which gained him much honour and reputation among the people, and occasioned the renewal of the kingdom to him, Sa1 11:12.

And Nahash the Ammonite answered them,.... In a very haughty and scornful manner: on this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes; some Jewish writers go into a mystical and allegorical sense of these words, as that Nahash ordered the book of the law to be brought, which was their right eye, that he might erase out of it these words: an Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; others understand it of the sanhedrim, which were the eyes of Israel; and others, which come a little nearer to the sense, of the slingers and archers, the desire of the eyes of Israel; and who, by having their right eyes thrust out, would be in a great measure spoiled for taking aim; for the words are to be understood literally; the intention of Nahash was to disable them for war, and that they might become quite unfit for it, as Josephus observes (r); the left eye being under the shield, as it usually was in war, and the right eye plucked out, they would be as blind men: he did not choose to have both their eyes thrust out, for then they could have been of no use and service to him as slaves or tributaries: and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel; that they did not come up to the relief of their brethren, and defend them, and signifying that they must all expect the same treatment from him. (r) Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5. sect. 1.

1. When I wished to assert the profundity of this sacred history in the preface of this work, I maintained that it could be seen especially in the fact that it was written by prophets. They indeed were accustomed to speak mystical things not only in words but also in deeds — to set forth plain things, yet to signify deep things. For since the Holy Spirit spoke through them, what they themselves said, as mere men, was plain, but it was profound and mystical, because the supreme and uncircumscribed Spirit was supplying the speech to men. Since, therefore, we are expounding the prophet Samuel as he speaks, we need all the greater diligence, inasmuch as he himself, sublimely taken up in the grace of the Holy Spirit, spoke outward things but saw inward things. He generally set forth carnal matters, but signified the innermost and spiritual realities. But since it is impossible by human effort to arrive at divine things, we must not trust in our own powers, but in the condescension of the Holy Spirit who, sent by the Redeemer, "has filled the whole world, and that which contains all things already has knowledge of every voice" (Wisdom 1:7). Let us hear, then, what the same prophet now relates concerning the undertakings of the Israelites. (1 Kings chapter 11, verses 1–2.) "And it came to pass," he says, "about a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and began to fight against Jabesh-gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash: 'Accept us as allies, and we will serve you.' And Nahash the Ammonite answered them: 'On this condition I will make a covenant with you: that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you, and make you a reproach in all Israel.'" 2. If one seeks the historical sense, nothing can be stated more plainly, nothing understood more easily. But if we wish to follow the spiritual sense, let us first hear Paul speaking, who, looking upon the old things, says: "All these things happened to them in figure, but they were written for our sake, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Cor. 10:11). He also indicates that there are spiritual wars, saying: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). Therefore, when Nahash is said to go up and fight against Jabesh-Gilead, the inner battles against vices are signified. By these words the course of sacred history is shown, so that new wars would be waged against the new king; and by bringing these to a successful conclusion, he would demonstrate the glory of his valor. Who then is this Nahash the Ammonite? What is Jabesh-Gilead? Now, Nahash is interpreted as "serpent," and Jabesh as "dried out." Concerning the serpent it is said in Genesis: "Because he was more cunning than all living creatures" (Gen. 3:1). If we seek the likeness of this serpent among the vices, what do we find more similar than the violent impulse of gastrimargia, that is, the movement of gluttony? Indeed, the movement of lust, the crime of theft, the appetite for base gain, the assault of anger, the bitterness of worldly sorrow, the sluggishness of sloth, the desire for vainglory, and the swelling of pride are openly detestable; but the vice of gluttony is all the more deceitful the more hidden it is, because it suggests food to the body as though it were necessary, yet while it abundantly nourishes the flesh, it plunges the sword of lust into the mind. It persuades that what is not a sin, but from the very fact that eating is accepted as though it were no sin, the soul is thereby subjected to the sin of lust. Hence in paradise the serpent is shown to have come to the woman to deceive her through the vice of gluttony—one who would suggest one thing but obtain another, so that while he displayed what should be eaten, he would administer an unforeseen death. This serpent therefore designates the greed of gluttony, because it both creeps under the guise of just necessity and spreads the poison of unholy pleasure. Rightly too is he called an Ammonite, which people is interpreted as "of sorrow," because what he urges seems pleasant, but it will be deeply mournful in eternal damnation. He is called a "people" because all gluttons, on account of their concern for the belly, are weighed down by a throng of innumerable cares. He goes up against Jabesh-Gilead because he strives to cast down to the craving for food the bodies of the just, which are established in the lofty virtue of abstinence. Rightly indeed is flesh called "dried out" that is not weighed down by the moisture of fatness. Nahash goes up against those whom he sees are dried out, because the spirit of gluttony wages more grievous wars against those whom he recognizes as worn thin by fasting. Rightly too is Nahash said to have begun to fight, because holy men do not hold the suggestion of gluttony in a pact of friendship but in the opposition of battle. For those who practice abstinence fight, as it were, against the serpent when they suppress the appetite of gluttony with great virtue, so that they may not be infected by the poison of lust. Indeed, the warfare of gluttony is to provoke the hungry bodies of the abstinent to a disordered filling of the belly. 3. But the appetite of gluttony can tempt perfect men, though it cannot overcome them. Rightly, therefore, he is said to have begun to fight against the dried-up woman, not to have conquered her, because chosen men feel the assault of carnal desires, but they know how to resist those same desires by the strength of the mind; they know how to provide for necessities through discretion. They know indeed how to suppress the fiercely rising assault of gluttony; they know how to furnish just nourishment for the body's need. For hence the outstanding Doctor says: "I know how to eat and to hunger" (Phil. 4:12). He indeed knows how to eat and to hunger who both moderately refreshes his body and does not consent to the vice of gluttony urging immoderate intake of food. Wherefore also, responding to Nahash, they say: "Have us as allies, and we will serve you." For they seek a treaty from gluttony who would wish to refresh the flesh according to their desire, if they could feel no incitements to lust in the flesh. As if they were saying: We will give you what is just for you, so that you do not inflict upon us what is not just. It is indeed just that the body be refreshed, but it is very unjust that the refreshed flesh be aroused through the burning of lust to the disgrace of the spirit. We therefore seek a treaty when we wish to so favor the flesh for the intake of food that we feel no evils of lust from the flesh. But this we can indeed wish for, yet we cannot obtain it, because surely we offer just refreshment as a kind of tribute to the flesh, but no goods of peace are promised to us by the flesh. For when we rightly direct the hearing of the mind to the responses of the vices, we recognize this indeed in the voice of gluttony: that if we fatten the flesh, we are struck with blindness of heart through growing concupiscence. Wherefore the same Nahash also says: "On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes." Our right eye is the gaze upon eternal brightness, but the left eye is carnal concupiscence. The right eye is therefore gouged out when the mind is struck with such blindness that it is no longer opened to see heavenly things. Indeed the eye is gouged out when the light is so torn away from the reprobate mind that no root remains from which a revived light might break forth. Nahash therefore gouges out the right eyes of his treaty-partners, when gluttony so prevails over the conquered abstinent that they desire only carnal things and no longer attend to what they used to love. And because whoever is cast down in this life is condemned in the future before the angels and the elect, there is added: "And I will make you a reproach in all Israel." For then the reprobate are made a reproach in all Israel, when at the final judgment they blush before all the elect for the iniquities they have committed. Or they are made a reproach in this life, because while they themselves with blinded heart boldly perpetrate evils, holy men blush for their faults. But let those who disdain to appear shameful, with their right eyes torn out, attend to what follows: (Verse 3) "And the inhabitants of Jabesh said to him: Grant us seven days, that we may send messengers to the borders of Israel; and if there is no one to defend us, we will come out to you."

Nahash, king of the Ammonites, besieges Jabesh-gilead; and proposes to its inhabitants the most degrading conditions of peace, Sa1 11:1, Sa1 11:2. They apply to their brethren for help, Sa1 11:3, Sa1 11:4. Saul hears of their distress; takes a yoke of oxen, hews them in pieces, and sends them throughout the coasts of Israel, with the threat that all who did not come to his standard should have his cattle served in like manner; in consequence of which he is soon at the head of an army of three hundred and thirty thousand men, Sa1 11:5-8. He sends to Jabesh-gilead, and promises help, Sa1 11:9, Sa1 11:10. Saul attacks the Ammonites next morning, and gives them a total overthrow, Sa1 11:11. The people are greatly encouraged, and propose to put to death those who are opposed to Saul's government: but this he prevents, Sa1 11:12, Sa1 11:13. Samuel leads the people to Gilgal: they offer sacrifices, and renew the kingdom to Saul, Sa1 11:14, Sa1 11:15.

I may thrust out all your right eves - This cruel condition would serve at once as a badge of their slavery, and a means of incapacitating them from being effective warriors. Theodoret observes, "He who opposes his shield to the enemy with his left hand, thereby hides his left eye, and looks at his enemy with his right eye; he therefore who plucks out that right eye makes men useless in war." Josephus gives the same reason.

NAHASH OFFERS THEM OF JABESH-GILEAD A REPROACHFUL CONDITION. (Sa1 11:1-4) Then Nahash the Ammonite came up--Nahash ("serpent"); (see Jdg 8:3). The Ammonites had long claimed the right of original possession in Gilead. Though repressed by Jephthah (Jdg 11:33), they now, after ninety years, renew their pretensions; and it was the report of their threatened invasion that hastened the appointment of a king (Sa1 12:12). Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee--They saw no prospect of aid from the western Israelites, who were not only remote, but scarcely able to repel the incursions of the Philistines from themselves.

thrust out all your right eyes--literally, "scoop" or "hollow out" the ball. This barbarous mutilation is the usual punishment of usurpers in the East, inflicted on chiefs; sometimes, also, even in modern history, on the whole male population of a town. Nahash meant to keep the Jabeshites useful as tributaries, whence he did not wish to render them wholly blind, but only to deprive them of their right eye, which would disqualify them for war. Besides, his object was, through the people of Jabesh-gilead, to insult the Israelitish nation.