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

²Nahash the Ammonite said to them , “On this condition I will make it with you , that all your right eyes be gouged out . I will make this dishonour all Israel .”

³The elders of Jabesh said to him , “Give us seven days , that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel ; and then , if there is no one to save us , we will come out to you .”

⁴Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul , and spoke these words in the ears of the people , then all the people lifted up their voice and wept .

⁵Behold , Saul came following the oxen out of the field ; and Saul said , “What ails the people that they weep ?” They told him the words of the men of Jabesh .

⁶God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words , and his anger burnt hot .

⁷He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces , then sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers , saying, “Whoever doesn’t come out after Saul and after Samuel , so shall it be done to his oxen .” The dread of the LORD fell on the people , and they came out as one man .

⁸He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹They said to the messengers who came , “Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead , ‘Tomorrow , by the time the sun is hot , you will be rescued.’” The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh ; and they were glad .

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

¹¹On the next day , Saul put the people in three companies ; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day . Those who remained were scattered , so that no two of them were left together .

¹²The people said to Samuel , “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us ?’ Bring those men , that we may put them to death !”

¹³Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today ; for today the LORD has rescued Israel .”

¹⁴Then Samuel said to the people , “Come ! Let ’s go to Gilgal , and renew the kingdom there .”

¹⁵All the people went to Gilgal ; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal . There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD ; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly .