Saul Saves Jabesh Gilead
1 ThenNahash the Ammonite came up and encamped againstJabesh 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, “On thisconditionI will makeacovenantwith you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bringreproach on all Israel.”
3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, ifthereisno one to save us, we will come out to you.”
4 So the messengers cameto Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. Andall the people lifted up their voices and wept.
5 Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, “Whattroublesthe people, that they weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.
7 So he took a yoke of oxen andcut them in pieces, and sentthemthroughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying,“Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.”
And the fear of theLordfell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
8 When he numbered them inBezek, the childrenof Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they said to the messengers who came, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow, bythetimethe sun is hot, you shall have help.’ ” Then the messengers came and reporteditto the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you.”
11 So it was, on the next day, thatSaul put the peoplein three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people said to Samuel,“Whoishe who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’Bring the men, that we may put them to death.”
13 But Saul said,“Not a man shall be put to death this day, for todaytheLordhas accomplished salvation in Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us goto Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”
15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul kingbefore theLordin Gilgal.There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before theLord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.