1 Samuel 11:14 kjv
Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
1 Samuel 11:14 nkjv
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there."
1 Samuel 11:14 niv
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship."
1 Samuel 11:14 esv
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom."
1 Samuel 11:14 nlt
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom."
1 Samuel 11 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 17:14-15 | "When you come... and say, 'Let me set a king over me like all the nations...'" | Divine law regarding a chosen king, not human desire. |
| 1 Sam 8:5, 7 | "...appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations..." "obey their voice..." | Israel's initial demand for a king. |
| 1 Sam 9:16 | "Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin..." | God's secret revelation of Saul as king to Samuel. |
| 1 Sam 10:1 | "Then Samuel took a flask of oil... and anointed him..." | Saul's initial, private anointing. |
| 1 Sam 10:24, 27 | "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen...?" But worthless fellows despised him..." | Saul's initial public presentation and some rejection. |
| 1 Sam 11:12-13 | "Who is he that said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?'... Today the Lord has saved Israel." | Aftermath of victory, pardoning those who opposed Saul. |
| 1 Sam 12:1 | "And Samuel said to all Israel, 'Behold, I have listened to your voice...'" | Samuel's public address after the renewal. |
| 1 Sam 13:4 | "And all Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines..." | Saul's later military victories legitimizing his rule. |
| 1 Sam 13:8-14 | "He waited seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed... and offered the burnt offering." | Saul's subsequent disobedience at Gilgal. |
| Josh 4:19-20 | "The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day... and camped in Gilgal..." | Gilgal as the first camp in Canaan, symbolic of beginnings. |
| Josh 5:2-9 | "At that time the Lord said to Joshua, 'Make for yourself flint knives... circumcise the sons of Israel again.'" | Gilgal as the site of circumcision and renewal of covenant. |
| Josh 24:25 | "So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day... at Shechem." | Another major covenant/leadership renewal assembly. |
| 2 Sam 5:3 | "So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant..." | David's anointing by all Israel and covenant-making. |
| 1 Chr 12:38-39 | "All these, men of war, who could set a battle in order, came to Hebron with a whole heart..." | United affirmation of David's kingship. |
| 1 Chr 29:20 | "Then David said to all the assembly, 'Bless the Lord your God.' And all the assembly blessed..." | Public acknowledgment of God's blessing on king/kingdom. |
| Prov 11:14 | "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." | Need for proper leadership and counsel in national life. |
| Rom 13:1-2 | "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God..." | God-ordained nature of secular authority. |
| Titus 3:1 | "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities..." | Adherence to established authority. |
| Matt 21:5 | "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you...'" | Jesus as the ultimate king. |
| 1 Tim 2:1-2 | "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions... be made for all people, for kings..." | Praying for earthly rulers. |
1 Samuel 11 verses
1 Samuel 11 14 Meaning
Samuel, acting as God's prophet, directed all the people of Israel to Gilgal. The purpose was to formally affirm and establish the institution of the monarchy, specifically under King Saul. This public act of "renewing the kingship" signified a fresh beginning and corporate commitment to God's chosen leader, following Saul's decisive victory over the Ammonites which solidified his divinely vindicated leadership in the eyes of the nation.
1 Samuel 11 14 Context
1 Samuel chapter 11 narrates Nahash the Ammonite's siege of Jabesh-Gilead and his demand for the citizens' right eyes. When word reached Gibeah, Saul was filled with the Spirit of God and responded decisively, rallying the tribes of Israel (1 Sam 11:1-8). He led them to a stunning victory over the Ammonites, utterly routing them (1 Sam 11:9-11). This dramatic display of leadership silenced the "worthless fellows" who had previously despised Saul's initial anointing (1 Sam 10:27). The victory transformed popular opinion, creating immense support and national unity around Saul. Verse 11:14 immediately follows this triumph, capitalising on the heightened morale and unified purpose to publicly and universally affirm Saul's kingship, solidifying his position as the God-appointed leader of Israel in a national covenant assembly at the historically significant site of Gilgal.
1 Samuel 11 14 Word analysis
- Then Samuel said: The word "Then" (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyōʾmer) signals a consequential statement immediately following Saul's decisive victory. Samuel, the prophet and the last of the judges, initiates this command, underscoring that the kingship's formal establishment remains under prophetic guidance and divine sanction, not merely popular will.
- to the people: (אֶל הָעָם - ʾel hāʿām) This emphasizes the public and corporate nature of the decree. The command is not to a few leaders but to the entire nation, signifying national consent and commitment to the new order.
- 'Come: (לְכוּ - ləḵû) This is an imperative command, "Go!" or "Come along!" It's a forceful call to action, demanding immediate compliance and movement towards the designated location for a vital national event.
- let us go: (נֵלְכָה - nēlḵāh) A first-person plural cohortative, translating to "let us go" or "we shall go." This phrasing highlights collective action and shared purpose, transforming Samuel's directive into a joint commitment by all participants.
- to Gilgal: (הַגִּלְגָּל - hagGīlgāl) A deeply symbolic and historically significant location. It was the first encampment of Israel after crossing the Jordan (Josh 4:19), where they renewed their covenant through circumcision (Josh 5:2-9), and where the Passover was observed. It served as Joshua's military base and a central place of worship and judgment during the early period of the settlement. For the establishment of kingship, its choice invoked Israel's foundational acts and identity, tying the new monarchy to their past covenant fidelity. It was also previously designated by Samuel as a place where Saul would meet him for an important ceremony (1 Sam 10:8), foreshadowing its ongoing prophetic importance for Saul.
- and there: (שָׁם - šām) Points to the specific site as the locus of the impending action, emphasizing the importance of Gilgal itself as the place for this significant ritual.
- renew: (וּנְחַדֵּשׁ - û-nəḥaddēš, from חָדַשׁ - ḥādaš) This is a crucial verb meaning "to make new, repair, restore, refresh, make valid again." It implies that while Saul had been anointed privately and presented publicly (1 Sam 10), the events had not fully cemented his authority or unified the nation behind him, especially after the rejection by some "worthless men" (1 Sam 10:27). The spectacular victory over Ammon provided divine vindication and a popular mandate, allowing for a comprehensive and truly national affirmation of the kingship, effectively renewing or firmly establishing it. It was a fresh beginning for Israel's monarchy, confirming God's choice through Saul's proven leadership.
- the kingship: (הַמְּלוּכָה - hamməluḵāh) Refers to the institution of monarchy itself, not just Saul as king. It denotes the establishment of this new governmental structure within Israel, albeit one meant to operate under divine law.
1 Samuel 11 14 Bonus section
The term "renew" (חָדַשׁ - ḥādaš) holds a deeper theological meaning. It is not merely a repetition of Saul's initial anointing, but rather a "making new" or a firm establishment of the monarchy's legitimacy through a public covenant ceremony. This echoes themes found in other significant moments in Israelite history where God's covenant with His people was renewed or affirmed (e.g., Ex 24, Josh 24). It signified that the initial doubts or rejections of Saul (1 Sam 10:27) were now overcome by divine proof through his military success. While the people had asked for a king "like other nations" (1 Sam 8:5), this renewal in Gilgal, under prophetic leadership, emphasized that Israel's kingship was uniquely under Yahweh's authority and dependent on His Spirit, rather than purely human design. It was also at Gilgal that Saul later disobediently offered a sacrifice (1 Sam 13:8-14), marking the beginning of his downfall at the very site of his renewed acclamation.
1 Samuel 11 14 Commentary
The command to "renew the kingship" at Gilgal represents a pivotal moment in Israel's history. It was Samuel's authoritative move, capitalizing on the wave of national unity and popular support for Saul, following his Spirit-empowered victory over Nahash. This public assembly at Gilgal transformed Saul's earlier, somewhat tentative, anointing (1 Sam 10:1) and disputed presentation (1 Sam 10:24-27) into a full, national acclamation. The choice of Gilgal was highly symbolic, invoking Israel's initial covenant with God in the land and a renewed commitment to Him under their chosen king. It marked the formal inauguration of Israel's monarchy as a divinely sanctioned institution. It also implicitly served as a lesson to the people: a king chosen by God and obedient to His Spirit was a leader of great deliverance. This act unified the nation behind Saul, solidifying his rule, and provided the formal setting for him to properly commence his reign, setting the stage for subsequent interactions between kingship and prophecy in Israel.