Samuel I_Chapter 11

Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon, came up and camped against Jabesh Gilead. And all the people of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.

Nahash the Ammonite said, If I gouge out the right eye of each of you and insult all Israel, then I will make a covenant with you.

The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Please forgive us for seven days until we send someone to all the territory of Israel.”. If no one saves us, we will come out and submit to you.

When the messenger arrived at Gibeah, where Saul was staying, he spoke these words to the people, and they all let out their voices and wept.

Saul was driving oxen back from the field and asked, “Why are the people crying?”? Everyone told him the words of the Jacobites.

When Saul heard these words, he was greatly moved by the spirit of God and was very angry.

He cut a pair of oxen into pieces and entrusted messengers to send them throughout Israel, saying, Anyone who does not come out to follow Saul and Samuel will also cut open his oxen in this way. So the Lord made the people afraid, and they all came out like one person.

Saul numbered them in Bezek, and the Israelites had 300000 and the Jews had 30000.

The people said to the messenger, “Reply to the people of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, when the sun approaches noon, you will be saved.'”. The messenger returned and told the people of Jabesh, and they were overjoyed.

So the people of Jabesh said to the children of Ammon, ‘Tomorrow we will come out to submit to you, and you can do to us as you please.’.

On the second day, Saul divided the people into three groups and entered the camp of the children of Ammon during the morning shift. He killed them until the sun was approaching noon, and the rest of them fled without any two being together.

The people said to Samuel, “Who is this who says, ‘Can Saul rule over us?'”? We can hand him over so that we can kill him.

Saul said, Today the Lord has delivered salvation in Israel, so do not kill anyone.

Samuel said to the people, “We will go to Gilgal and establish a kingdom there.”.

And all the people came to Gilgal and made Saul king before the Lord, and offered sacrifices of peace before the Lord. Saul and all Israel rejoiced greatly.