The Meaning of 1 Samuel 11:2 Explained

1 Samuel 11:2

KJV: And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

YLT: And Nahash the Ammonite saith unto them, 'For this I covenant with you, by picking out to you every right eye -- and I have put it a reproach on all Israel.'

Darby: And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I treat with you, that I thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

ASV: And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Nahash  the Ammonite  answered  them, On this  [condition] will I make  [a covenant] with you, that I may thrust out  all your right  eyes,  and lay  it [for] a reproach  upon all Israel. 

What does 1 Samuel 11:2 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 11:1-15 - The New King's Good Beginning
A hundred years before, the Ammonites had been defeated by Jephthah; now they were beleaguering Jabesh-gilead. Help seemed impossible. But when the Spirit of God comes upon a man, what cannot that man do! That was Saul's blessed experience. He aroused the country, after the manner of the Scottish chieftains with their fiery cross; then he sent a message of hope to the agonized city; and finally, as morning broke over the quiet pasture-lands, with his army of deliverance he burst upon the Ammonite camp.
Was there not a connection between Saul's previous self-control and his present victory? And must not that connection always be realized? Each of us must fight our fight against heredity, environment and habit; against self within and Satan without. The measure of our success will be the measure of our ability to help others. The mountain of temptation in the life of our Lord was followed in due course by His freeing the bodies and souls of men. In the hour of victory, Saul was borne to the throne. His success was the stairway to his coronation. We remember that when our Lord had destroyed and broken our foes, He took His seat, amid the acclaim of heaven, at the right hand of power. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 11

1  Nahash offers them of Jabesh Gilead a reproachful condition
4  They send messengers, and are delivered by Saul
12  Saul thereby is confirmed, and his kingdom renewed

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 11:2 mean?

And answered them Nahash the Ammonite On this [condition] I will make [a covenant] with you that I may put out your all eyes right and bring reproach on Israel
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם נָחָשׁ֙ הָעַמּוֹנִ֔י בְּזֹאת֙ אֶכְרֹ֣ת לָכֶ֔ם בִּנְק֥וֹר לָכֶ֖ם כָּל־ עֵ֣ין יָמִ֑ין וְשַׂמְתִּ֥יהָ חֶרְפָּ֖ה עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָחָשׁ֙  Nahash 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָחָשׁ  
Sense: a king of the Ammonites during the time of king Saul.
הָעַמּוֹנִ֔י  the  Ammonite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמֹּונִי  
Sense: descendants of Ammon and inhabitants of Ammon.
בְּזֹאת֙  On  this  [condition] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
אֶכְרֹ֣ת  I  will  make  [a  covenant] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
לָכֶ֔ם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
בִּנְק֥וֹר  that  I  may  put  out 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָקַר  
Sense: to bore, pick, dig, pick out.
לָכֶ֖ם  your 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
עֵ֣ין  eyes 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יָמִ֑ין  right 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וְשַׂמְתִּ֥יהָ  and  bring 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
חֶרְפָּ֖ה  reproach 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרְפָּה  
Sense: reproach, scorn.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.