1 Samuel 11 · Verse 8

1 Samuel 11:8

And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
1 Samuel 11:8, King James Version

1 Samuel 11:8 in other translations

BSBAnd when Saul numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 men of Judah.
WEBHe counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
ASVAnd he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
YLTAnd he inspecteth them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
DARBYAnd he numbered them in Bezek, and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
BBEAnd he had them numbered in Bezek: the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
WebsterAnd when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

What does 1 Samuel 11:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Bezek--This place of general muster was not far from Shechem, on the road to Beth-shan, and nearly opposite the ford for crossing to Jabesh-gilead. The great number on the muster-roll showed the effect of Saul's wisdom and promptitude.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 The children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand - This was a vast army, but the Septuagint make it even more: "All the men of Israel were ἑξακοσιας χιλιαδας, Six Hundred thousand; and the men of Judah ἑβδομηκοντα χιλιαδας, Seventy thousand." Josephus goes yet higher with the number of the Israelites: "He found the number of those whom he had gathered together to be ἑβδομηκοντα μυριαδας Seven Hundred thousand." Those of the tribe of Judah he makes seventy thousand, with the Septuagint. These numbers are not all right; and I suspect even the Hebrew text to be exaggerated, by the mistake or design of some ancient scribe.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 11:1-11

Chapter Outline Jabesh-gilead delivered. (1-11) Saul confirmed in his kingdom. (12-15) Verses 1-11 The first fruit of Saul's government was the rescue of Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites. To save their lives, men will part with liberty, and even consent to have their eyes put out; is it then no wisdom to part with that sin which is as dear to us as our right eye, rather than to be cast into hell-fire? See the faith…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 11:1-11 →

1 Samuel 11:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֖םvai.yif.ke.Demand he mustered themH6485
בְּבָ֑זֶקbe.Va.zekat BezekH966
וַיִּהְי֤וּvai.yih.Yuand they wereH1961
בְנֵֽי\־ve.nei-[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
שְׁלֹ֣שׁshe.LoshthreeH7969
מֵא֣וֹתme.'othundred<s>H3967
אֶ֔לֶף'E.lefthousandH505
וְאִ֥ישׁve.'Ishand [the] man ofH376
יְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahJudahH3063
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםshe.lo.Shim[was] thirtyH7970
אָֽלֶף\׃'A.lefthousandH505

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 11:8

  • Judges 1:4-5

    And Judah went up; and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. And they found Adoni–bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

  • 2 Samuel 24:9

    And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

  • 2 Chronicles 17:12-19

    And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store. And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem. And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand. And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand. …

  • 1 Samuel 13:15

    And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.

  • 1 Samuel 15:4

    And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

  • Judges 20:2

    And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Bezek.
Jud 1:4,5
the children.
13:15; 15:4; 2Sa 24:9; 2Ch 17:12-19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 11:7

    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 11:8

    And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

  • 1 Samuel 11:9

    And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

Read all of 1 Samuel 11

1 Samuel 11:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y contólos en Bezec; y fueron los hijos de Israel trescientos mil, y treinta mil los hombres de Judá.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Saül les dénombra en Bézek; et les fils d’Israël étaient 300 000, et les hommes de Juda 30 000.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er musterte sie zu Besek; und es waren der Kinder Israel 300000,und der Männer von Juda 30000.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et recensuit eos in Bezech: fueruntque filiorum Israël trecenta millia, virorum autem Juda triginta millia.