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1 Samuel 11 · a question people ask

Why didn't Saul put the men who had doubted him to death?

In the text

It was the people who asked, and they asked Samuel: "Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!" (11:12). Saul answered, "No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel" (11:13). The reason the verse gives is the LORD's rescue that day. The chapter says no more: it doesn't call Saul merciful or humble, and it doesn't say what he thought of the men. When they had despised him at Mizpah, it said only, "But he held his peace" (10:27).

The verses

“The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!” Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel.””
1 Samuel 11:12-13 · World English Bible
“But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no tribute. But he held his peace.”
1 Samuel 10:27 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 1 Samuel 11

1 Samuel 11: The LORD has rescued Israel

Saul's words at Jabesh Gilead, "today the LORD has rescued Israel" (11:13), come back to him. The people answer his oath with words like them to save Jonathan (14:45), and Jonathan uses them to plead for David (19:5).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions