1   About a month later ^note Nahash the Ammonite attacked and besieged Jabesh-gilead. The men of Jabesh said to Nahash, ‘Come to terms with us and we will be your subjects.’ 2   Nahash answered them, ‘On one condition only will I come to terms with you: that I gouge out your right eyes and bring disgrace on Israel.’ 3   The elders of Jabesh-gilead then said, ‘Give us seven days’ respite to send messengers throughout Israel and then, if no one relieves us, we will surrender to you.’ 4   When the messengers came to Gibeah, where Saul lived, and delivered their message, all the people broke into lamentation. 5   Saul was just coming from the field driving in the oxen, and asked why the people were lamenting; and they repeated what the men of Jabesh had said. 6   When Saul heard this, the spirit of God suddenly seized him. In his anger he took a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces, 7   and sent messengers with the pieces all through Israel to proclaim that the same would be done to the oxen of any man who did not follow Saul and Samuel into battle. The fear of the Lord fell upon the people and they came out, to a man. 8   Saul mustered them in Bezek; there were three hundred thousand men from Israel and thirty thousand from Judah. 9   He ^note said

Saul anointed king to the men who brought the message, ‘Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead, “Victory will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.”’ The men of Jabesh heard what the messengers reported and took heart; 10   and they said to Nahash, ‘Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and then you may deal with us as you think fit.’ 11   Next day Saul drew up his men in three columns; they forced their way right into the enemy camp during the morning watch and massacred the Ammonites while the day grew hot, after which the survivors scattered until no two men were left together.

12   Then the people said to Samuel, ‘Who said that Saul should not reign over us? 13   Hand the men over to us to be put to death.’ But Saul said, ‘No man shall be put to death on a day when the Lord has won such a victory in Israel.’ 14   Samuel said to the people, ‘Let us now go to Gilgal and there renew our allegiance to the kingdom.’ 15   So they all went to Gilgal and invested Saul there as king in the presence of the Lord, sacrificing shared-offerings before the Lord; and Saul and all the Israelites celebrated the occasion with great joy.

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