1 Samuel 11

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

1Now 1Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged 2Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make 3a covenant with us and we will serve you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, 4that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, and thereby I will inflict 5a disgrace on all Israel.” 3So 6the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Allow us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.” 4Then the messengers came 7to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people 8raised their voices and wept.

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

12Then the people said to Samuel, “21Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ 2223Bring the men, so that we may put them to death!” 13But Saul said, “24Not a single person shall be put to death this day, for today 25the Lord has brought about 26victory in Israel.”

14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go to 27Gilgal and 28renew the kingdom there.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king 29before the Lord in Gilgal. There they also 30offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.