1 SamuelChapter 11

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¹Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and surrounded the town of Jabesh-gilead with his army. All the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a peace treaty with us, and we will serve you." ²But Nahash the Ammonite answered, "I will make a treaty with you on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you. That way I will bring shame on all Israel." ³The elders of Jabesh said, "Give us seven days. Let us send messengers all through Israel. If no one comes to save us, we will give ourselves up to you." ⁴The messengers came to Gibeah, where Saul lived. They told the people what was happening. Then all the people cried out loud. ⁵Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. He asked, "What's wrong with everyone? Why are they crying?" So they told him what the men from Jabesh had said. ⁶When Saul heard their news, the Spirit of God rushed on him. He became very angry. ⁷He took two oxen and cut them into pieces. He sent the pieces by messengers all through the land of Israel. The message said, "This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel into battle." Then the fear of the LORD fell on the people. They all came out together as if they were one man. ⁸Saul counted them at Bezek. There were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah. ⁹They told the messengers who had come, "Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead this: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.'" The messengers went and told the men of Jabesh. And they were filled with joy. ¹⁰Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will come out to you. Then you can do whatever you want with us." ¹¹The next day Saul split his army into three groups. Before dawn they broke into the Ammonites' camp. They killed them until the hottest part of the day. The ones who lived were scattered so much that no two of them were left together.a ¹²Then the people said to Samuel, "Who said Saul should not be our king? Bring those men here. We will kill them!" ¹³But Saul gave an order. "No one will be put to death today," he said, "because today the LORD has saved Israel." ¹⁴Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let's go to Gilgal. There we will make Saul's kingship new again." ¹⁵So all the people went to Gilgal. There, in front of the LORD, they made Saul king. They offered peace offerings to the LORD. And Saul and all the Israelites had a very joyful celebration.