Nahash

Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, besieged Jabesh Gilead and threatened to gouge out the right eyes of its inhabitants.

Nahash was the king of the Ammonites, a neighboring nation to Israel, during the early period of the Israelite monarchy. In 1Samuel 11, Nahash is described as besieging the city of Jabesh Gilead, located in the territory of Manasseh, east of the Jordan River.

Nahash demanded that the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead surrender and agree to have their right eyes gouged out as a sign of subjugation and humiliation. The people of Jabesh Gilead sought help from their fellow Israelites, sending messengers to King Saul, who had recently been crowned as the first king of Israel.

Upon hearing of the Ammonite threat, Saul rallied the Israelite forces and marched to Jabesh Gilead. In a decisive battle, Saul defeated Nahash and the Ammonite army, saving the city and its inhabitants from the cruel fate proposed by Nahash.

The victory over Nahash and the Ammonites was a significant moment in Saul's reign, as it demonstrated his leadership and military prowess. It also served to unite the Israelite tribes under Saul's rule, as they recognized the importance of having a strong central authority to protect them from external threats.

In 1Sa 12:12, the prophet Samuel reminds the Israelites of the threat posed by Nahash and the Ammonites, using it as an example of the dangers they faced and the need for a king to lead and defend them. This reference underscores the significance of the battle against Nahash in the early history of the Israelite monarchy.

King of the Ammonites in the time of Saul. The inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead having been exposed to great danger from Nahash, sent messengers to Gibeah to inform Saul of their extremity. He promptly responded to the call, and gathering together an army he marched against Nahash. “And it came to pass that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them [the Ammonites] were not left together” (1 Sam. 11:1-11).