1 Samuel 11

1 Then Nahash the Ammonite went and laid seige to Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

Then about a month after this, Nahash the Ammonite came up and put his forces in position for attacking Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make an agreement with us and we will be your servants.

2 Nahash the Ammonite replied, “On this condition will I make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all of your right eyes, and in this way bring disgrace on all Israel.”

And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, I will make an agreement with you on this condition, that all your right eyes are put out; so that I may make it a cause of shame to all Israel.

3 Then the elders of Jabesh replied to him, “Leave us alone for seven days, so that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”

Then the responsible men of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days, so that we may send men to every part of Israel: and then, if no one comes to our help, we will come out to you.

4 The messengers came to Gibeah, where Saul lived, and told the people what had happened. All the people wept loudly.

So they sent representatives to Saul's town Gibeah, and these gave the news to the people: and all the people gave themselves to weeping.

5 Now Saul was following the oxen out of the field. Saul said, “What is wrong with the people that they are weeping?” They told Saul what the men of Jabesh had said.

Now Saul came from the field, driving the oxen before him; and he said, Why are the people weeping? And they gave him word of what the men of Jabesh had said.

6 When Saul heard what they said, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he was very angry.

And at their words, the spirit of God came on Saul with power, and he became very angry.

7 He took a yoke of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel with the messengers. He said, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, this is what will be done to his oxen.” Then the terror of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out together as one man.

And he took two oxen and, cutting them up, sent them through all the land of Israel by the hand of runners, saying, If any man does not come out after Saul and Samuel, this will be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord came on the people and they came out like one man.

8 When he mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

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

9 They said to the messengers that came, “You will tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.'” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

Then he said to the representatives who had come, Say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is high, you will be made safe. And the representatives came and gave the news to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

10 Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever seems good to you.”

So the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.

11 The next day Saul put the people in three groups. They came into the middle of the camp during the morning watch, and they attacked and defeated the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Now on the day after, Saul put the people into three bands, and in the morning watch they came to the tents of the Ammonites, and they went on attacking them till the heat of the day: and those who were not put to death were put to flight in every direction, so that no two of them were together.

12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who was it who said, 'Will Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, so we can put them to death.”

And the people said to Samuel, Who was it who said, Is Saul to be our king? give the men up, so that we may put them to death.

13 But Saul said, “No one must be put to death this day, because today Yahweh has rescued Israel.”

And Saul said, Not a man is to be put to death today: for today the Lord has made Israel safe.

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

Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and there make the kingdom strong in the hands of Saul.

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

So all the people went to Gilgal; and there in Gilgal they made Saul king before the Lord; and peace-offerings were offered before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were glad with great joy.