Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

1 Samuel 11:11

That night Saul divided his men into three groups, and at dawn the next day they rushed into the enemy camp and attacked the Ammonites. By noon they had slaughtered them. The survivors scattered, each man running off by himself.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Jabesh-Gilead;   Nahash;   Night;   Time;   Thompson Chain Reference - Israel;   Israel-The Jews;   Victories;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ammonites, the;   Armies of Israel, the;   Sieges;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jabesh;   Nahash;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ammon;   Samuel, books of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Prophet;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ammonite;   Day;   Nahash;   Watches;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ammon;   Army;   Saul;   Watches of the Night;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Archaeology and Biblical Study;   Jabesh-Gilead;   Nahash;   Samuel, Books of;   Saul;   Time, Meaning of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ammon, Ammonites;   Israel;   Jabesh, Jabesh-Gilead;   King;   Samuel, Books of;   War;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ammon, Ammonites, Children of Ammon;   Jabesh, Jabeshgilead ;   Watches, Night;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jabesh;   Saul;   War;   Watches of the night;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ja'besh;   Na'hash;   Saul;   Watches of Night;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Day;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ammon;   Arimathaea;   Heat;   Jonathan (2);   Judah, Kingdom of;   Morning Watch;   Nahash;   Nahath;   Number;   Samuel, Books of;   Saul;   Siege;   War;   Zebah and Zalmunna;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ammonites;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Army;   Night;   Numbers and Numerals;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions. During the morning watch, they invaded the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. There were survivors, but they were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
Hebrew Names Version
It was so on the next day, that Sha'ul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the `Ammonim until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
King James Version
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
Lexham English Bible
And the next day Saul placed the people in three divisions. Then they came into the middle of the camp at the early morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. It happened that the remainder were scattered so that no two among them remained together.
English Standard Version
And the next day Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
New Century Version
The next morning Saul divided his soldiers into three groups. At dawn they entered the Ammonite camp and defeated them before the heat of the day. The Ammonites who escaped were scattered; no two of them were still together.
New English Translation
The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together.
Amplified Bible
The next morning Saul put the men into three companies; and they entered the [Ammonites'] camp during the [darkness of the early] morning watch and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and the survivors were scattered, and no two of them were left together.
New American Standard Bible
The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch, and struck and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the morowe was come, Saul put the people in three bandes, and they came in vpon the hoste in the morning watche, and slewe the Ammonites vntill the heate of the day: and they that remained, were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Contemporary English Version
The next day, Saul divided his army into three groups and attacked before daylight. They started killing Ammonites and kept it up until afternoon. A few Ammonites managed to escape, but they were scattered far from each other.
Complete Jewish Bible
The next day Sha'ul divided the people into three companies. Then they entered the camp of the ‘Amoni during the morning watch and kept attacking until the heat of the day, until those who remained were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
Darby Translation
And it came to pass the next day that Saul set the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote Ammon until the heat of the day: and it came to pass that they who remained were scattered, and not two of them were left together.
Easy-to-Read Version
The next morning Saul separated his soldiers into three groups. At sunrise, Saul and his soldiers entered the Ammonite camp. Saul attacked while they were changing guards that morning. He and his soldiers defeated the Ammonites before noon. The Ammonite soldiers all ran away in different directions—no two soldiers stayed together.
George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass, on the next day, Saul divided the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Literal Translation
And it happened, on the next day Saul put the people in three heads, and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and they struck Ammon until the heat of the day. And it was, the ones left were scattered; in them were not two lefttogether.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And on ye nexte morow Saul set the people in thre partes, and came in to the hoost aboute the mornynge watch, and smote the Ammonites tyll the daye was at the whotest. As for those yt remayned, they were so scatred, that two of them abode not together.
American Standard Version
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left together.
Bible in Basic English
Now on the day after, Saul put the people into three bands, and in the morning watch they came to the tents of the Ammonites, and they went on attacking them till the heat of the day: and those who were not put to death were put to flight in every direction, so that no two of them were together.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And on the morowe Saul put the people in three partes, & they came in vpon the hoast in the morning watche, and slue the Ammonites vntill the heate of the day: And they that remayned, were skattered, so that two of them were not left together.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
King James Version (1611)
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three copanies, and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slewe the Ammonites, vntill the heat of the day: and it came to passe, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Saul divided the people into three companies, and they go into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and they smote the children of Ammon until the day was hot; at it came to pass that those who were left were scattered, and there were not left among them two together.
English Revised Version
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
Berean Standard Bible
The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions, and during the morning watch they invaded the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the hottest part of the day. And the survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it was don, whanne the morewe dai cam, Saul ordeynede the puple in to thre partis; and he entride in to the myddil tentis `in the wakyng of the morewtid, and he smoot Amon til the dai `was hoot; `forsothe the residues weren scaterid, so that tweyne togidere weren not left in hem.
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Saul putteth the people in three detachments, and they come into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch, and smite Ammon till the heat of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered, and there have not been left of them two together.
Update Bible Version
And it was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that those that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left together.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it was [so] on the morrow, that Saul disposed the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning-watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they who remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
World English Bible
It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
New King James Version
So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
New Living Translation
But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.
New Life Bible
The next morning, Saul put the people in three groups. They came among the tents early in the morning and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who were left alive were divided, so that no two of them stayed together.
New Revised Standard
The next day Saul put the people in three companies. At the morning watch they came into the camp and cut down the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Saul set the people in three companies, and they entered into the midst of the host, during the morning watch, and smote Ammon until the day was hot. And it came to pass that, they who were left, were scattered, so that there were not left among them, two together.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it came to pass, when the morrow was come, that Saul put the people in three companies: and he came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and he slew the Ammonites until the day grew hot, and the rest were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
Revised Standard Version
And on the morrow Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and cut down the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Contextual Overview

5 Saul was just then coming in from the field with his oxen, and he asked, "What's wrong? Why is everyone crying?" They told him what the messengers from Jabesh had reported. 6 When Saul heard this, the spirit of God took control of him, and he became furious. 7 He took two oxen, cut them in pieces, and had messengers carry the pieces throughout the land of Israel with this warning: "Whoever does not follow Saul and Samuel into battle will have this done to his oxen!" The people of Israel were afraid of what the Lord might do, and all of them, without exception, came out together. 8 Saul gathered them at Bezek: there were 300,000 from Israel and 30,000 from Judah. 9 They said to the messengers from Jabesh, "Tell your people that before noon tomorrow they will be rescued." When the people of Jabesh received the message, they were overjoyed 10 and said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do with us whatever you wish." 11 That night Saul divided his men into three groups, and at dawn the next day they rushed into the enemy camp and attacked the Ammonites. By noon they had slaughtered them. The survivors scattered, each man running off by himself.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

on the morrow: Genesis 22:14, Psalms 46:1

in three: Judges 7:16, Judges 9:43

morning: Exodus 14:24

slew: 1 Samuel 11:2, Judges 1:7, Matthew 7:2, James 2:13

so that two: 1 Samuel 30:17, 1 Samuel 30:18, Judges 4:16

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 13:17 - in three companies 1 Samuel 14:36 - let us not leave 1 Samuel 14:47 - Ammon 1 Samuel 25:34 - hasted Mark 6:48 - the fourth

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
blessed them, and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.
Genesis 9:7
"You must have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth."
Genesis 11:3
They said to one another, "Come on! Let's make bricks and bake them hard." So they had bricks to build with and tar to hold them together.
Genesis 11:4
They said, "Now let's build a city with a tower that reaches the sky, so that we can make a name for ourselves and not be scattered all over the earth."
Genesis 11:32
Terah died there at the age of 205.
Psalms 144:12
May our sons in their youth be like plants that grow up strong. May our daughters be like stately columns which adorn the corners of a palace.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it was so on the morrow,.... After the messengers were returned, and delivered their message, and the men of Jabeshgilead had given the Ammonites reason to expect that they would come out to them according to their agreement:

that Saul put the people into three companies; or "heads" a, under so many commanders, assigning to each their number, if equally, 110,000 in each, as Gideon divided his three hundred into three companies, one hundred in each, Judges 7:16 and Abimelech, Judges 9:43 it seems to have been their way of fighting in those days:

and they came unto the midst of the host: that is, of the Ammonites:

in the morning watch; the third and last watch of the night, by break of day, or before, however before the sun was up; so quick was Saul and his men in their march, though on foot. Bunting b computes the distance from Gibeah to Bezek forty miles, and from thence to Jabesh sixteen; it is commonly reckoned that it was about sixty miles from Gibeah to Jabesh. Josephus c says it was ten "schaeni", each of which contained five or six miles:

and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day; that is, till noon, so that from the morning watch till noon he was making slaughter of them:

and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered; those that were not cut off by the sword of Saul were broken and dispersed, they could not stand their ground against him:

so that two of them were not left together; to flee together, but every one shifted for himself, and fled alone.

a ראשים "capita", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. b Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 126. c Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5. sect. 3.)

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The march from Bezek may have begun the night before. This disposition of the forces “in three companies” (imitating Gideon’s strategy, compare the marginal reference.) would not have been made until the morning when they were very near the Ammonitish forces. “The morning watch” was the last of the three watches, of four hours each, into which the night was anciently divided by the Hebrews. (See Judges 7:19 note.) The time thus indicated would be between two and six in the morning.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 11:11. Put the people in three companies — Intending to attack the Ammonites in three different points, and to give his own men more room to act.

In the morning watch — He probably began his march in the evening, passed Jordan in the night, and reached the camp of the Ammonites by daybreak.

That two of them were not left together. — This proves that the rout was complete.


 
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