1 Samuel 11

1 About a month after this, Nahash the Ammonite went up and camped against Jabesh-gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash the Ammonite, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.” [a] 2 And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On these terms I will make a covenant with you: that I gouge out every right eye of yours, and lay a disgrace on Israel.” 3 And the men of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, and we will send messengers into every territory of Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.” [b]

4 And the messengers came to Gibeah, to Saul, and spoke the words in the ears of the people; and all the people lifted up their voice and wept. 5 And Saul came in from the field later that morning, and Saul said, “Why are the people weeping?” And they told him the words of the people of Jabesh. [c]

6 And the Spirit of the Lord leaped upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger blazed against them. 7 He took two cows and cut them in pieces and sent them into every territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel — this is what will be done to his cattle!” And a dread from the Lord came upon the people of Israel, and they cried out as one man. [d] 8 And he reviewed them at Bezek, at the high place: every man of Israel six hundred thousand, and the men of Judah seventy thousand. [e]

9 And he said to the messengers who had come, “This is what you are to say to the men of Jabesh: ‘Tomorrow rescue will be yours, once the sun has grown hot.’” And the messengers came to the city and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. 10 And the men of Jabesh said to Nahash the Ammonite, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 And the next day Saul set the people in three companies, and they went into the middle of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the children of Ammon until the day grew hot. And those who were left were scattered, and no two of them were left together.

12 And the people said to Samuel, “Who was it that said, ‘Saul will not reign over us’? Hand the men over, and we will put them to death.” 13 And Saul said, “No one will die this day, for today the Lord has brought rescue in Israel.” 14 And Samuel spoke to the people, saying, “Let us go to Gilgal and make the kingship new there.” 15 And all the people went to Gilgal, and Samuel anointed Saul there as king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there he sacrificed sacrifices and peaceable offerings before the Lord, and Samuel and all Israel rejoiced greatly. [f]