1 Samuel 11

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

1Now 1Nahash the Ammonite came up and 2besieged 3Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make 4a covenant with us and we will serve you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, 5that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it 6a reproach on all Israel.” 37The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.” 4Then the messengers came 8to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people 9lifted up their voices and wept.

5Now behold, Saul was coming from the field 10behind the oxen, and 11he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6Then 12the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and 13he became very angry. 7He took a yoke of oxen and 14cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “15Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out 16as one man. 8He 17numbered them in 18Bezek; and the 19sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 9They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10Then the men of Jabesh said, “20Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good 21to you.” 11The next morning Saul put the people 22in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12Then the people said to Samuel, “23Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ 2425Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13But Saul said, “26Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today 27the Lord has accomplished deliverance in Israel.”

14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to 28Gilgal and 29renew the kingdom there.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king 30before the Lord in Gilgal. There they also 31offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.