Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 11:4

"Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept." — 1 Samuel 11:4 (ASV)

Then came the messengers to Gibeah. —In the preceding verse we read that it was resolved by the beleaguered city to send messengers to all the regions of Israel, but we only hear of the action taken by Saul in Gibeah. It therefore may be assumed that this was the first city they sent to, not only because of their ancient friendship with Benjamin, but also because Gibeah was the residence of the newly-elected sovereign, Saul.

And all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. —This is exactly what might have been expected from Benjamites hearing of the terrible straits to which the city they all loved so well, and which was united to them by such close bonds of friendship and alliance, had been reduced; but though they grieved so deeply, they do not seem to have been able, on their own, to devise any plan for its relief, until their great fellow-citizen took the matter in hand.