Saul’s First Challenge

The first serious challenge of Saul’s reign comes from Nahash, king of the Ammonites. These people, who dwell to the east of Israel, are descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot through his incestuous union with his younger daughter (Gen. 19:30–38). The Israelites were specifically instructed not to ‘ “harass them or meddle with them’ ” (Deut. 2:19) when they came out of Egypt, for God had given their territory to them just as He had given Canaan to Abraham and his descendants. However, God’s words had not stopped the Ammonites from harassing Israel (Judg. 3:13; 11:4–33), and they now come against Jabesh Gilead, a city in the territory of the tribe of Gad east of the Jordan River. There are indications both in Scripture (Amos 1:13–15) and extra-Biblical literature (the Dead Sea Scrolls and Josephus’ writings) that this attack is part of a larger campaign by Nahash. That campaign may have helped spark Israel’s request for a king (12:12).

The people of Jabesh Gilead have no stomach for a battle with Nahash’s forces. When he puts their city under siege, they immediately offer to surrender on his terms if he only will make a covenant guaranteeing their lives. But Nahash doesn’t simply want to take an Israelite city—he wants to humiliate the entire Israelite people. So he agrees to make a covenant with the people of Jabesh Gilead if the men of the city will agree to allow the Ammonites to gouge out their right eyes. Certainly this will cause great humiliation and anguish in the city, and such complete submission will embarrass all Israel. But scholars note that Nahash may have a very cunning purpose in this demand. Infantrymen of the time typically fight with shields in their left hands, obscuring their left eyes. With their right eyes gouged out, the men of Jabesh Gilead will be worthless as soldiers.

Confronted with this dire prospect, the people of Jabesh Gilead make a crazy request—seven days to try to find help from anywhere in Israel. But Nahash is so confident, he actually agrees. Perhaps he thinks no one in Israel will try to help, magnifying the reproach that will fall on God’s people. But Nahash does not know that Israel now has an “anointed one,” a deliverer. Though they tell Nahash they will appeal for help throughout Israel, the people of Jabesh Gilead apparently send their plea to one place only—Saul’s home town.