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The NET Bible®

1 Samuel 11:7

He took a pair of oxen and cut them up. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, who said, "Whoever does not go out after Saul and after Samuel should expect this to be done to his oxen!" Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one army.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Decision;   Jabesh-Gilead;   Nahash;   Tact;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;   Jews, the;   Kings;   Ox, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jabesh;   Nahash;   War;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ammon;   Samuel, books of;   War;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Prophet;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Farm;   Meroz;   Messenger;   Nahash;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Epistle;   Oath;   Saul;   Yoke;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Archaeology and Biblical Study;   Decree;   Jabesh-Gilead;   Nahash;   Samuel, Books of;   Saul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ammon, Ammonites;   Israel;   Jabesh, Jabesh-Gilead;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sacrifices ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ammon, Ammonites, Children of Ammon;   Jabesh, Jabeshgilead ;   Yoke;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jabesh;   Saul;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ja'besh;   Na'hash;   Saul;   Yoke;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Husbandry;   War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ammon;   Arimathaea;   Fear;   Jonathan (2);   Judah, Kingdom of;   Nahash;   Nahath;   Samuel, Books of;   Saul;   Siege;   Yoke;   Zebah and Zalmunna;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Army;   Jabesh;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.” As a result, the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out united.
Hebrew Names Version
He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Yisra'el by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn't come forth after Sha'ul and after Shemu'el, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them into pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, "Whoever is not going out after Saul and after Samuel, so will it be done to his oxen." Then the fear of Yahweh fell on the people and they went out as one man.
English Standard Version
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.
New Century Version
So he took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces. Then he gave the pieces of the oxen to messengers and ordered them to carry them through all the land of Israel. The messengers said, "This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel." So the people became very afraid of the Lord . They all came together as if they were one person.
Amplified Bible
He took a team of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out to follow Saul and Samuel, the same shall be done to his oxen." Then fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out [united] as one man [with one purpose].
New American Standard Bible
He then took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, the same shall be done to his oxen." Then the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one person.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And tooke a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coastes of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoeuer commeth not foorth after Saul, and after Samuel, so shall his oxen be serued. And the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then he took a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." Then the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
Contemporary English Version
Saul killed two of his oxen, cut them up in pieces, and gave the pieces to the messengers. He told them to show the pieces to everyone in Israel and say, "Saul and Samuel are getting an army together. Come and join them. If you don't, this is what will happen to your oxen!" The Lord made the people of Israel terribly afraid. So all the men came together
Complete Jewish Bible
he seized a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces; then he sent them throughout the territory of Isra'el with messengers saying, "Anyone who doesn't come and follow Sha'ul and Sh'mu'el, this is what will be done to his oxen!" The fear of Adonai fell on the people, and they came out with united hearts.
Darby Translation
And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen! And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
Easy-to-Read Version
He took a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces. Then he gave the pieces of the oxen to messengers. He ordered the messengers to carry the pieces throughout the land of Israel. He told them to give this message to the Israelites: "Come follow Saul and Samuel. If anyone doesn't come and help them, this same thing will happen to his oxen." A great fear from the Lord came on the people. They all came together like one person.
George Lamsa Translation
And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever does not follow after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they all came out as one man.
Good News Translation
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.
Literal Translation
And he took the team of oxen and cut them in pieces, and he sent them into all the boundary of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, Whoever does not come out after Saul andafter Samuel, so it shall be done to hisoxen. And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people. And they came out as one man.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and he toke a couple of oxen, and hewed them in sunder, and sent them in to all the coastes of Israel by the messaungers, sayenge: Who so euer goeth not forth after Saul and Samuel, his oxen shalbe thus dealte withall. Then fell the feare of the LORDE vpon the people, so that they wente forth like as one man,
American Standard Version
And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
Bible in Basic English
And he took two oxen and, cutting them up, sent them through all the land of Israel by the hand of runners, saying, If any man does not come out after Saul and Samuel, this will be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord came on the people and they came out like one man.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And toke a yoke of oxen, & hewed them in peeces, and sent them thorowout all the coastes of Israel by the handes of messengers, saying: Whosoeuer cometh not foorth after Saul and after Samuel, so shal his oxen be serued. And the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying: 'Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen.' And the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
King James Version (1611)
And he tooke a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoeuer commeth not foorth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it bee done vnto his oxen: and the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he took two cows, and cut them in pieces, and sent them into all the coasts of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoso comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall they do to his oxen: and a transport from the Lord came upon the people of Israel, and they came out to battle as one man.
English Revised Version
And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
Berean Standard Bible
He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming, "This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel." Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they turned out as one man.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he took euer either oxe, and kittide in to gobetis, and sente in to alle the termes of Israel, bi the hondis of messangeris; and seide, Who euer goith not out, and sueth not Saul and Samuel, so it schal be don to hise oxun. Therfor the drede of the Lord asailide the puple, and thei yeden out as o man.
Young's Literal Translation
and he taketh a couple of oxen, and cutteth them in pieces, and sendeth through all the border of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, `He who is not coming out after Saul and after Samuel -- thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth on the people, and they come out as one man.
Update Bible Version
And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever does not come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so it shall be done to his oxen. And the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent [them] throughout all the borders of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
World English Bible
He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn't come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
He took two bulls and cut them in pieces and sent them through the land of Israel with the men who had brought the news, saying, "This will be done to the bulls of those who will not come out after Saul and Samuel." The fear of the Lord came upon the people, and they all came out together.
New Revised Standard
He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by 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.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout all the bounds of Israel by the hand of messengers - saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul, and after Samuel, so, shall it be done unto his oxen. Then felt the dread of Yahweh, upon the people, and they came forth, as one man.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And taking both the oxen, he cut them in pieces, and sent them into all the coasts of Israel, by messengers, saying: Whosoever shall not come forth, and follow Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell upon the people, and they went out as one man.
Revised Standard Version
He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of 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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." Then the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

Contextual Overview

5 Now Saul was walking behind the oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, "What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?" So they told him about the men of Jabesh. 6 The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry. 7 He took a pair of oxen and cut them up. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, who said, "Whoever does not go out after Saul and after Samuel should expect this to be done to his oxen!" Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one army. 8 When Saul counted them at Bezek, the Israelites were 300,000 strong and the men of Judah numbered 30,000. 9 They said to the messengers who had come, "Here's what you should say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow deliverance will come to you when the sun is fully up.'" When the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh Gilead, they were happy. 10 The men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you and you can do with us whatever you wish." 11 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he took: The sending the pieces of the oxen was an act similar to that of the Levite - see note on Judges 19:29. An eminent Scotch writer describes the rites, incantations, and imprecations used prior to the fiery cross being circulated, to summon the rough warriors of ancient times to the service of their chief; and he alludes to this ancient custom, which in comparatively modern times, has been practised in Scotland; and proves that a similar punishment of death, or destruction of their houses, for disobeying the summons, was inflicted by the ancient Scandinavians, as recorded by Olaus Magnus, in his History of the Goths. This bears a striking similarity to the ancient custom of the Israelites. With the Highlanders, a goat was slain; with the Israelites, an ox. The exhibition of a cross, stained with the blood of the sacrificed animal, was the summons of the former, while part of the animal, was the mandate of the latter. Disobedience in one nation was punished with the death of themselves or oxen, and burning of their dwellings in the other.

hewed: Judges 19:29

Whosoever: Judges 21:5-11

the fear: Genesis 35:5, 2 Chronicles 14:14, 2 Chronicles 17:10

with one consent: Heb. as one man, Judges 20:1

Reciprocal: Judges 11:5 - to fetch Judges 21:10 - Go and smite Ezra 10:8 - And that whosoever

Cross-References

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth."
Genesis 3:22
And the Lord God said, "Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
Genesis 10:5
From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations.
Genesis 10:20
These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.
Genesis 10:32
These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations, and from these the nations spread over the earth after the flood.
Genesis 11:2
When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
Genesis 11:4
Then they said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth."
Genesis 11:5
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people had started building.
Genesis 11:11
And after becoming the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 11:12
When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he took a yoke of oxen,.... Of his own or his father's, which he had just followed out of the field, and for which chiefly that circumstance is mentioned:

and hewed them in pieces; as the Levite did his concubine, Judges 19:29

and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers; some carrying a piece one way, and some another, throughout all the tribes; for to them all the government of Saul extended, and which by this he let them know it did:

saying, whosoever cometh not after Saul and after Samuel; he names both, because he himself, though chosen king, was not inaugurated into his office, nor was Samuel put out of his; and because he knew he was despised by some, who would not object to and refuse the authority of Samuel, and therefore if they would not follow him, they would follow Samuel; and he mentions himself first, because of his superior dignity:

so shall it be done unto his oxen; be cut to pieces as these were; he does not threaten to cut them in pieces, but their oxen, lest he should seem to exercise too much severity at his first coming to the throne:

and the fear of the Lord fell on the people; they feared, should they be disobedient, the Lord would cut them to pieces, or in some way destroy them, as well as Saul would cut their oxen to pieces; for their minds were impressed with a sense of this affair being of the Lord:

and they came out with one consent; or "as one man" t, as if they had consulted together; being under a divine impulse, they set out from different parts about much the same time, and met at a place of rendezvous next mentioned.

t כאיש אחד "tanquam vir unus", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Though not expressly stated, it is doubtless implied that he sent the portions by the messengers to the twelve tribes, after the analogy, and probably in imitation, of Judges 19:29. He made use of the revered name of Samuel to strengthen his own weak authority. Samuel accompanied Saul in the expedition 1 Samuel 11:12.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 11:7. He took a yoke of open — The sending the pieces of the oxen was an act similar to that of the Levite, Judges 19:29, where see the note. And both customs are similar to the sending about of the bloody cross, to call the clans to battle, practised by the ancient Highlanders of Scotland. See at the end of this chapter. 1 Samuel 11:15


 
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