1 Samuel 11 2

1 Samuel 11:2 kjv

And 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.

1 Samuel 11:2 nkjv

And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel."

1 Samuel 11:2 niv

But Nahash the Ammonite replied, "I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel."

1 Samuel 11:2 esv

But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus bring disgrace on all Israel."

1 Samuel 11:2 nlt

"All right," Nahash said, "but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!"

1 Samuel 11 verses

1 Samuel 11 2 Meaning

Nahash the Ammonite presented a horrifying condition for a peace treaty with the people of Jabesh-Gilead: he demanded that every man among them allow his right eye to be gouged out. This brutal act was intended not only to permanently disable them, rendering them incapable of effective combat with shields and spears, but also to bring public and lasting disgrace and humiliation upon the entire nation of Israel. It was a cruel show of dominance and contempt, designed to break their spirit and warn other Israelites against resistance.

1 Samuel 11 2 Context

First Samuel chapter 11 opens with Nahash the Ammonite besieging Jabesh-Gilead, a city located on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Historically, Jabesh-Gilead had strong ties with the tribe of Benjamin (Judg 21). This verse reveals the extreme and cruel demand made by Nahash to the besieged inhabitants who had requested a treaty. This particular form of mutilation—gouging out the right eye—was not uncommon in ancient Near Eastern warfare and conquest. It served several purposes: to inflict physical suffering, to permanently incapacitate the men for combat (as a warrior primarily used the right arm for a spear, shielded by the left), to break their spirit, and most importantly, to cast profound and lasting disgrace (Hebrew: cherpâ) not just on the people of Jabesh-Gilead but on all Israel. It underscored the Ammonite king's arrogance and disdain for the covenant people of God, setting the stage for Saul, Israel's newly anointed king, to rise and demonstrate God's power through him. This incident acts as Saul's first major test and legitimation as king, fulfilling the need for a deliverer against Israel's oppressive enemies, specifically those who brought national shame.

1 Samuel 11 2 Word Analysis

• But: (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyo’mer) This conjunction marks a direct speech that introduces a pivotal turning point, signifying Nahash's explicit and brutal counter-proposal to the plea for a treaty.
• Nahash: (נָחָשׁ - nâchâsh) This name means "serpent" or "snake." The irony of his name matches his cunning, deceptive, and venomous character as displayed by his cruel proposition. Historically, Nahash was a known enemy king of the Ammonites who often afflicted Israel.
• the Ammonite: (הָעַמֹּונִי - ha‘ammonî) Referring to an inhabitant of Ammon, a nation descended from Ben-Ammi, son of Lot (Gen 19:38). They were consistently hostile to Israel, embodying idolatry and oppression. Their history included harassing Israel and forming alliances against them (e.g., Judg 3, Judg 10).
• said to them: (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם - vayyo’mer ’ǎlêhem) Implies direct communication, a public and unambiguous declaration of his intent and terms.
• On this condition: (בְּזֹאת - bəzo’ṯ) Emphasizes that this single, brutal demand is the absolute prerequisite for any agreement. It highlights his inflexible and unmerciful nature.
• I will make a treaty with you: (אֶכְרֹת עִמָּכֶם בְּרִית - ’eḵrōṯ ‘immâḵem bərîṯ) The phrase karat berit means "to cut a covenant," referring to the ancient practice of covenant-making, often involving animal sacrifice. Here, it is an oppressive, one-sided "covenant" dictating the terms from the stronger party. This is a perversion of a genuine treaty, designed not for peace but for domination.
• that I gouge out: (בְּנַקֵּר לָכֶם - bənaqqēr lâḵem) From the verb naqar, meaning to pierce, bore, or gouge out. This is a highly violent and specific act of mutilation. It signifies permanent disfigurement and disability.
• all your right eyes: (אֶת־כָּל־עֵין יָמִין - ’eṯ-kol-ʿêyn yāmîn) Literally "all a right eye" (singular `ein for a collective sense of "every right eye"). The right eye was crucial for a warrior. With a shield on the left arm protecting the body, a right-handed warrior would need their right eye to sight their spear or sword effectively for thrusting and parrying. Loss of the right eye would mean a severe disadvantage in battle, making them dependent on their left eye (which would be largely obscured by the shield) and effectively making them unfit for warfare, or at least severely crippled in it. It was a common act of barbarity to subjugate captured people and ensure they couldn't rebel effectively.
• and thus bring disgrace: (לָשׂוּם חֶרְפָּה - lāśûm cherpâ) To place or bring cherpâ upon. Cherpâ is "reproach," "shame," "disgrace," "ignominy." This was not just about physical harm but profound national dishonor and psychological subjugation. Such an act would serve as a permanent, living reminder of their utter defeat and humiliation by Nahash.
• on all Israel: (עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל - ‘al-kol-yiśrā’êl) Nahash's ambition extends beyond Jabesh-Gilead. This humiliation was meant to be a warning and a spectacle for the entire nation, intimidating them into submission and undermining their collective morale and identity as God's chosen people. It challenged the very idea of a protective God and king in Israel.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes": This phrase combines a deceptive offer of "peace" (treaty) with an incredibly violent and disabling demand. The very act of treaty-making, often a symbol of mutual respect or at least power balance, is corrupted into an instrument of ultimate subjugation. The phrase reveals Nahash's sadistic nature and intent to disarm Israel permanently.
• "and thus bring disgrace on all Israel": This clarifies the underlying motive beyond physical disfigurement. The true objective was to publicly humiliate Israel as a whole, to render them a spectacle of defeat and weakness. It was an attack on their national dignity and their reputation, challenging God's honor by mocking His inability to protect His people.

1 Samuel 11 2 Bonus Section

• Geographical Significance: Jabesh-Gilead's location east of the Jordan placed it directly in the path of Ammonite aggression. Their desperate plea for a treaty highlights the vulnerable position of Israelite tribes, even with Saul recently proclaimed king, demonstrating the fragmentation and lack of immediate national defense structure.
• Prophetic Parallel: While not a direct prophecy, the concept of national humiliation and then divine vindication finds parallels in biblical narratives, where God's people are brought low, but He raises a deliverer or acts directly to rescue them, ultimately bringing glory to His name and vindication to His people.
• Ethical Violation: Nahash's demand explicitly violates humanitarian norms of warfare, even those acknowledged in the ancient world. It underscores the contrast between the unbridled cruelty of pagan nations and the regulated (though still severe) warfare instructed in the Law of Moses for Israel.
• Impact on Saul's Legitimacy: This precise and extreme humiliation creates the ideal crisis for Saul to respond with divine empowerment. His successful deliverance of Jabesh-Gilead from such a demeaning fate instantly validated his kingship in the eyes of the people, shifting their focus from human pride to divine anointing.

1 Samuel 11 2 Commentary

1 Samuel 11:2 vividly exposes the barbaric cruelty and strategic malice of Nahash the Ammonite. His demand to gouge out the right eyes of the Jabesh-Gileadites was far more than a physical assault; it was a profound act of psychological warfare and national humiliation. By inflicting such a specific and incapacitating mutilation, Nahash aimed to render them useless in combat, as a right-handed warrior relied heavily on their right eye for aiming behind a shield. More critically, the lasting disfigurement would serve as a public spectacle of Israel's weakness, a living testimony to Ammonite superiority and Israel's inability to protect its own, thus bringing widespread shame upon the entire nation. This act intentionally mocked any claim Israel had to divine protection or the strength of a divinely appointed king. It was a direct challenge to the LORD God Himself, setting the stage for the dramatic display of divine power through King Saul, underscoring the necessity of a divinely chosen deliverer to remove this national disgrace.