1 Samuel 11:2-11

2Nahash the Ammonite responded, “I’ll make a treaty with you on this one condition: I’ll poke out everyone’s right eye and bring disgrace on all Israel.”

3The leaders of Jabesh told him, “Give us seven days so that we can send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. And if there’s no one to save us, we’ll surrender to you.”

4The messengers came to Saul’s town, Gibeah. When they told the people the news, the people cried loudly.

5Just then Saul was coming from the field behind some oxen. “Why are these people crying?” Saul asked. So they told him the news about the men of Jabesh.

6When he heard this news, God’s Spirit came over him, and he became very angry.

7Saul took a pair of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the territory of Israel with the following message: “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who doesn’t follow Saul and Samuel ⌞into battle⌟.” So the people became terrified by the Lord, and they came out united ⌞behind Saul⌟.

8When Saul counted them at Bezek, there were 300,000 troops from Israel and 30,000 troops from Judah.

9They told the messengers who had come, “This is what you are to say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun gets hot, you will be rescued.’ ” When the men of Jabesh received the message, they were overjoyed.

10They said ⌞to Nahash⌟, “Tomorrow we’ll surrender to you, and you may do to us whatever you think is right.”

11The next day Saul arranged the army in three divisions. They came into the ⌞Ammonite⌟ camp during the morning hours and continued to defeat the Ammonites until it got hot that day. The survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.