Not, long after the meeting at Mizpeh, the Ammonites, a fierce people who lived near the desert country, came with their king, Nahash, to fight against one of the cities of the Israelites. This city was Jabesh, on the east side of the Jordan River.
The men of Jabesh knew they could not drive the Ammonites away. They thought, “It would be better for us to let the Ammonites rule over us than to try to fight against them, for they will kill us in the battle. We will send them a message and promise to serve them if only they will spare our lives.”
Nahash, the Ammonite king, sent this message back: “We will spare your lives; but in seven days I will come with my soldiers and put out the right eyes of all your people.”
This cruel threat filled the men of Jabesh with alarm. “We must have help from our people in other parts of the land,” they said. So they sent swift messengers across the Jordan River to Gibeah, the city where Saul lived. And the people of Gibeah wept with a loud noise when they heard about the trouble, that had come upon the Jabeshites. Saul was just returning from the field with his cattle when he heard the cry of his neighbors. He asked why they wept, and some one told him the message that had come from Jabesh. Until this time Saul had behaved quietly, as he did before he had been anointed to be the captain of the Lord’s people; but now the spirit of a king stirred his soul and he prepared at once to help the distressed Israelites on the other side of the Jordan River. First he killed two oxen and divided their bodies’ into twelve parts. Then he sent one part to each of the twelve tribes, with this message: “Whoever will not come out to fight with Saul and Samuel, his oxen shall be cut in pieces.”
Everywhere the soldiers of Israel left their homes and came hurrying to Saul, and soon he had a very large army. Together they marched across the hills of Benjamin till they came to the Jordan River. Here they waded through the water and climbed the bank on the other side. Before very many hours’ marching they came upon the army of the Ammonites.
From morning until noonday they fought against these cruel people, and many of the Ammonites ran away. Saul’s army destroyed the others, and the men of Jabesh were saved from much suffering. Nahash did not return again to fight against the Israelites.
After this victory the Israelites crossed the River again, and they stopped at the place where their fathers had camped long ago, when first they entered the land of Canaan. The name of this place, you remember, was Gil gal. Here they sacrificed to the Lord, and here Samuel gave up his rule as a judge over them; he gave it to King Saul, who from this time would be their leader. But Samuel continued to be a prophet among the people and to give them warning from God.
“The Israelites were now well pleased with their King. They saw that he was brave, and they praised him. They wanted to kill the wicked men who were angry because God had chosen Saul to be their king. But Saul did not permit them to harm those men. He said, “No man shall be put to death today, for God has given us this great victory.’”
Many of the soldiers who had come ait Saul’s command to fight for the men of Jabesh had left their fields of wheat almost ripe enough to gather in the grain. At this time of year rain seldom fell in their land, and so the sky above them was clear and cloudless on this day.
While the people were all rejoicing together with their new King at Gilgal, Samuel stood near by looking on with sad eyes. How he pitied these people who had refused to let God rule over them any longer! Now he felt that he must give them one more warning.
Samuel began his warning by reminding the people that he had given them what they asked for. “Now,” said he, “your king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed. I have lived among you since a child, and you know my life. Tell me, have I ever judged you wrongly?”
The people answered, “No.”
“Have I ever taken away your oxen, or your asses?” asked Samuel. And again the people replied that; he had not.
“Have I ever taken gifts of money from you when you wanted me to be unfair with your neighbor?” he asked. “If I have, now I will restore those gifts to you.” But no one could accuse Samuel of having done wrong while he judged them.
“Now,” said Samuel, “the Lord is witness to this truth against you.
And all the people answered, “He is witness.”
Samuel then told the people that God had cared for them as a father cares for his own children; that he had even delivered them from their cruel enemies after they had turned away from him to serve idols. He reminded them of the victories that God had given to their fathers when Gideon and Jephthah ruled over them as judges. He told them how God wanted to be their King. Hie showed them how greatly they had sinned against God when they had asked for a man to be their king.
Still God was not ready to leave them alone and helpless before their enemies if they would serve him and, with their king, obey his commands. But if they would turn away from serving God and from listening to his voice, then even their king should not be able to save them. All these words Samuel spoke in their hearing, and then he said, “See, God will now do a great thing before your eyes. I will call upon him:, and he will send thunder and rain, to show you that your wickedness is great in asking for a king.”
When Samuel prayed, the sky suddenly grew dark with heavy clouds, and the thunder roared so loudly that the men became afraid. The rain fell fast, and the thunder continued to roar. Great fear came into the hearts of these men who only a short time before were rejoicing with their new King, Saul. Now they were afraid of God, and of Samuel, his prophet. They cried, “Pray for us, that we shall not be killed by this storm; for we have sinned more against God than our fathers. We added to their sins when we asked for a king.”
Samuel comforted the people by telling them that God would not destroy them if they would be careful to serve him. He said, “It has pleased the Lord to make you his people.” And Samuel promised to pray for them as long as he should live, and always to teach them the good and the right way.