I Samuel 11

1. And Nahash the Ammonite came up and camped against Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

2. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “With this condition I will make a covenant with you—when all your right eyes are dug out, thus bringing a reproach upon all Israel.”

3. And the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Bear with us seven days, so that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then if there is no man to save us, we will come out to you.”

4. Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and told the news in ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept.

5. And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people that they weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

6. And the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

7. And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

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

9. And they said to the messengers that came, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.’ “And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

10. And the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.”

11. And it was so on the next day, Saul put the people in three companies, and they came into the middle of the army at the morning watch. And they killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And the ones who remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

12. And the people said to Samuel, “Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men so that we may put them to death.”

13. And Saul said, “There shall not a man be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.”

14. Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”

15. And all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal, and there they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.