1 Samuel 11:7 kjv
And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
1 Samuel 11:7 nkjv
So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
1 Samuel 11:7 niv
He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, "This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel." Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out together as one.
1 Samuel 11:7 esv
He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!" Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
1 Samuel 11:7 nlt
He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: "This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!" And the LORD made the people afraid of Saul's anger, and all of them came out together as one.
1 Samuel 11 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jdg 19:29 | And when he was come into his house, he took a knife... and divided her into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. | Levite's similar symbolic act to rally tribes for justice. |
| Jdg 6:34 | But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him. | Divine empowerment leading to a national muster for battle. |
| 1 Sam 10:6 | And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you shall prophesy... and be turned into another man. | God's Spirit already empowering Saul for leadership. |
| 1 Sam 10:10 | And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. | Saul's anointing with the Spirit before this event. |
| Deut 28:15 | But it shall come to pass, if you will not hearken unto the voice of the LORD your God... all these curses shall come upon you. | General principle of curses for disobedience to God's commands. |
| Lev 26:14-16 | But if you will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments... I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague... | Divine curses for disobeying the covenant, affecting life and livelihood. |
| Gen 15:9-10, 17 | Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old... and divided them in the midst... and a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. | Ancient covenant ritual involving cutting animals; implies curses for breaking covenant. |
| Jer 34:18-19 | And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant... when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof. | Covenant breakers facing severe consequences, linked to this ritual. |
| Exod 14:31 | And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses. | People's response of "fear of the LORD" to a divinely orchestrated event. |
| Ps 111:10 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments... | "Fear of the LORD" is foundational to wisdom and obedience. |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. | Knowledge begins with fearing the Lord. |
| 1 Sam 8:20 | That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. | Israel's desire for a king to lead them in warfare. |
| Num 27:17 | Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out... that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd. | The need for effective leadership in Israel. |
| Eph 4:3 | Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. | New Testament call for unity among believers. |
| Rom 13:1-2 | Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers... Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God... | Principle of submitting to appointed authorities as God's ordinance. |
| Matt 10:37 | He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... | Prioritizing God's call above all personal ties or possessions. |
| Luke 9:62 | And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. | Committing fully to God's service without looking back. |
| Prov 16:3 | Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. | Trusting God in one's actions and plans. |
| Isa 48:17 | Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. | God guiding His people in the way they should go. |
| Jdg 20:11 | So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. | Example of tribes uniting "as one man" for battle. |
| Exod 1:17 | But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. | Actions driven by "fear of God" lead to right conduct. |
| 1 Sam 7:1-6 | Israel’s repentance and renewal of covenant with God at Mizpah, paving the way for a unified response to a leader. | Collective action resulting from national repentance. |
1 Samuel 11 verses
1 Samuel 11 7 Meaning
Saul, empowered by the Spirit of God, employed a drastic and visceral method to summon all Israel to war against the Ammonites. By dismembering a yoke of oxen and sending the pieces throughout the territories, he communicated an urgent and dire ultimatum: anyone who refused to join the fight under the combined authority of King Saul and Prophet Samuel would suffer a similar destruction of their vital possessions, symbolizing a catastrophic loss of livelihood. This act underscored the gravity of the threat and established a clear choice for national unity, demonstrating Saul's immediate and potent assertion of leadership.
1 Samuel 11 7 Context
First Samuel chapter 11 narrates Saul's first defining act as king, which validated his leadership in the eyes of the people. Having been privately anointed by Samuel (1 Sam 10:1) and later chosen publicly by lot at Mizpah (1 Sam 10:17-24), Saul had yet to fully establish his authority, with some "men of Belial" showing contempt towards him (1 Sam 10:27). This passive state changed drastically when Nahash the Ammonite laid siege to Jabesh-Gilead and proposed a treaty that involved gouging out the right eye of all its inhabitants. This brutal proposal spread distress throughout Israel (1 Sam 11:1-4). When news reached Saul, who was working in his field, "the Spirit of God came mightily upon him" (1 Sam 11:6). Verse 7 details the direct, severe action Saul took under this divine empowerment to unify the fragmented tribes of Israel for immediate and collective defense against this grave threat, solidifying his role as king and leader of a united Israel.
1 Samuel 11 7 Word Analysis
- And he took: This active verb signifies decisive action by Saul immediately after the Spirit of God came upon him, highlighting that his leadership was not only inspired but also demonstrative and resolute.
- a yoke of oxen: A "yoke" (Hebrew: tzemed) refers to a pair of oxen, typically used for plowing or other agricultural tasks. Oxen were a crucial and expensive asset, representing a family's primary means of livelihood and a significant part of their wealth. Sacrificing them was an act of extreme resolve.
- and cut them in pieces: This grisly act (Hebrew: nittekh, meaning "to carve up" or "to dismember") was a powerful symbolic gesture. In the ancient Near East, such an act could signify the sealing of a covenant, with the implied curse that anyone breaking the covenant would be similarly torn apart. Here, it functions as a solemn, terrifying oath and a clear warning, implying the fate of those who refused to obey the national muster.
- and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel: "Coasts" (Hebrew: g'vul or gevulot) refers to the boundaries or territories of the various Israelite tribes. This signifies that the message and its accompanying visual horror were disseminated widely, reaching every corner of the nascent Israelite kingdom, demanding a unified national response.
- by the hands of messengers: This indicates a rapid and organized system of communication for that era. The messengers were vital conduits for both the gruesome pieces and Saul's potent declaration.
- saying: Introduces the direct command and threat, ensuring there was no misinterpretation of the symbolic act.
- Whosoever cometh not forth: This is a direct summons, a military conscription command, emphasizing absolute and immediate obedience to the call to arms. It serves as a test of loyalty and unity for the recently formed monarchy.
- after Saul and after Samuel: This crucial phrase legitimizes the call through dual authority. "Saul" is the newly anointed king, acting as military commander. "Samuel" is the esteemed prophet, God's spokesperson, who anointed Saul and represents divine endorsement. This dual leadership underscores that participation is not merely civic duty but also obedience to God's divinely appointed order.
- so shall it be done unto his oxen: This echoes and explicitly clarifies the warning conveyed by the dismembered oxen. It signifies that those who do not respond will suffer the complete loss of their livelihood, their most valuable possessions, and effectively their future sustenance, just like the oxen used for the dreadful example. It means destruction would fall upon them as if they too were cut into pieces, economically and potentially physically.
1 Samuel 11 7 Bonus Section
- This powerful and chilling tactic is remarkably similar to the Levite's act in Jdg 19:29, which also resulted in all-Israel responding with fury against Gibeah. Both instances highlight ancient Israel's visceral means of communication and mobilization when conventional methods might be insufficient or too slow.
- The immediate response of the people, stated in 1 Sam 11:7b ("And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man"), demonstrates that the Israelites perceived Saul's extreme act as divinely sanctioned, not merely an arbitrary act of brutality. This underscores the genuine Spirit of God operating through Saul.
- The act underscored the shift from the decentralized tribal system to a unified monarchy, demonstrating the need for centralized leadership to rally the nation against external threats, a role Israel had explicitly requested (1 Sam 8:20).
- The emphasis on "oxen" being targeted reinforces that the curse would hit directly at the core of agrarian life and survival, making the threat incredibly potent and persuasive to a farming society.
- This early act of leadership by Saul displays a strength and resourcefulness that contrasts sharply with his later failures, particularly in direct disobedience to Samuel's commands and God's directives. It shows the initial promise and divine anointing on his reign.
1 Samuel 11 7 Commentary
1 Samuel 11:7 encapsulates a decisive and dramatic turning point in Israel's transition to monarchy. Saul's horrifying yet effective demonstration, inspired by the Spirit, was a primitive but universally understood method of communication in that age, signifying a blood covenant or a severe curse for non-compliance. It effectively consolidated national will by leveraging a powerful blend of fear and solidarity. The inclusion of "Saul and Samuel" in the summons cemented the divine legitimacy of Saul's kingly authority, showing a united front between the new political power and the enduring prophetic authority. This verse doesn't just describe a call to war; it illustrates the nascent king's ingenuity, his Spirit-empowered decisiveness, and the profound effect of such an extreme, divinely sanctioned appeal, which brought a unified Israel together "as one man" (1 Sam 11:7b), setting the stage for his first great victory and validating God's choice for leadership.