1 Samuel 11:4

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.

Then came {H935} the messengers {H4397} to Gibeah {H1390} of Saul {H7586}, and told {H1696} the tidings {H1697} in the ears {H241} of the people {H5971}: and all the people {H5971} lifted up {H5375} their voices {H6963}, and wept {H1058}.

The messengers came to Giv'ah, where Sha'ul lived, and said these words in the hearing of the people; and all the people cried out and wept.

When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

Commentary

1 Samuel 11:4 describes a pivotal moment in the early reign of King Saul, setting the stage for his first significant act of leadership and divine empowerment. The verse captures the immediate, widespread emotional response of the people of Gibeah upon hearing dire news.

Context

This verse immediately follows the desperate plea for help from the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead, who were under siege by Nahash the Ammonite. Nahash had offered a brutal "covenant" allowing them to surrender, but only on the condition that all their right eyes be gouged out – a humiliating and incapacitating act. The messengers from Jabesh-Gilead had been given seven days to find a deliverer. When they arrived at Gibeah, which was Saul's hometown, they shared these "tidings" (news) of impending doom. The people's collective weeping reflects their deep fear, despair, and the apparent helplessness of Israel without a strong, unified leader, especially after the tumultuous period of the Judges.

Key Themes

  • Despair and Helplessness: The immediate reaction of the people—lifting up their voices and weeping—highlights their profound sense of vulnerability and lack of a clear solution to the imminent threat. This collective sorrow underscores the gravity of the situation and the perceived powerlessness of Israel against a formidable enemy.
  • The Need for Deliverance: The weeping serves as a desperate cry, implicitly calling for a deliverer. This sets the stage for Saul's divinely empowered response in the subsequent verses, echoing themes from the Book of Judges where God often raised up leaders in response to Israel's distress.
  • Impact of Bad News: The verse vividly portrays how devastating news can affect an entire community, leading to a collective outpouring of grief and fear. It emphasizes the emotional weight carried by messengers in ancient times.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "lifted up their voices, and wept" is a strong Hebrew idiom, nasa' qol u'bakha (נשא קול ובכה), signifying intense, audible, and collective lamentation. It's not merely quiet tears but a loud, public expression of grief and anguish, indicative of deep distress and perhaps even a cry to God for intervention. This communal weeping was a common expression of profound sorrow or shock in ancient Near Eastern cultures.

Practical Application

This verse reminds us that human despair is a natural reaction to overwhelming threats and seemingly impossible situations. It also illustrates how moments of crisis can reveal the true need for leadership and divine intervention. For believers, it highlights that even in the deepest valleys of despair, God is attentive to the cries of His people and often raises up instruments of deliverance, whether through human leaders or direct action. It encourages empathy for those facing overwhelming circumstances and reminds us that collective distress can often precede a powerful move of God, as seen in Saul's immediate, Spirit-empowered response.

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Cross-References

  • 1 Samuel 10:26 (5 votes)

    And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

  • Judges 2:4 (5 votes)

    And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

  • Judges 21:2 (4 votes)

    And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

  • 1 Samuel 15:34 (4 votes)

    Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

  • 1 Samuel 30:4 (4 votes)

    Then David and the people that [were] with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

  • Hebrews 13:3 (2 votes)

    Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

  • Galatians 6:2 (2 votes)

    Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.