1 Samuel 11

Now Nahash the Ammonite came up and camped against Jabesh Gilead. And all of the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Cut a covenant for us, and we will serve you.”

And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “By this I will cut for you, in the gouging of every right eye of you. And I will set it {as} a disgrace against all of Israel.” \*

And the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Leave us alone seven days, and let us send messengers through all of the border of Israel. And if {there is} no one saving us, then we will go out to you.”

And the messengers came {to} Gibeah of Saul, and they spoke the words in the ears of the people. And all of the people lifted up their voice and wept. \*

And behold, Saul was coming behind the oxen from the field. And Saul said, “What {is} to the people, that they are weeping?” And they recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul in his hearing these words. And his nose burned greatly.

And he took a pair of cattle and cut it into pieces, and he sent through all of the border of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever is not going out behind Saul and behind Samuel, thus shall be done to his oxen.” And the fear of God fell on the people, and they went out as one man.

And he mustered them at Bezek. And the sons of Israel were 300, 000, and the men of Judah {were} 30, 000. \*

And they said to the messengers having come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow deliverance will be for you, at the heat of the sun.’” And the messengers went and declared {this} to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.

And the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will go out to you. And you may do to us according to all of the good in your eyes.” \*

And it happened on the next day that Saul put the people {into} three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp during the watch of the morning, and they struck Ammon until the heat of the day. And it happened that the {ones} being left scattered, and two among them were not left together.

And the people said to Samuel, “Who {are} the {ones} having said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Give the men, that we may make them die.”

But Saul said, “A man shall not be made to die on this day. For today God has done deliverance in Israel.” \*

And Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go {to} Gilgal, and let us renew the kingship there.”

And all of the people went {to} Gilgal, and there they caused Saul to reign to the face of God at Gilgal. And there they sacrificed sacrifices, peace offerings, to the face of God. And Saul and all of the men of Israel rejoiced there unto abundance. \*