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¹ THEN Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.² But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make a treaty with you, when you thrust out all your right eyes, that I may make you a reproach upon all Israel.³ And the eiders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers throughout all the territory of Israel; and when we see if we have a savior or not, then we will come out to you.⁴ Then the messengers came to Ramtha of Saul, and told these words before the people; and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.

⁵ And, behold, Saul was coming behind the oxen from the field; and Saul said, What ails the people that they are weeping? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.⁶ And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was kindled greatly.⁷ And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever does not follow after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they all came out as one man.⁸ And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand.⁹ And they said to the messengers who had come from Jabesh, Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh and of Gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall be delivered. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.¹⁰ Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do to us whatever seems good to you.¹¹ And it came to pass, on the next day, Saul divided the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

¹² Then the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death.¹³ And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today the LORD has wrought salvation in Israel.¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.¹⁵ And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.