1 Samuel 11

Revised Geneva Translation

11 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will be your servants.”

² And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “On this condition I will make a covenant with you: that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring that shame upon all Israel.”

³ To whom the elders of Jabesh said, “Give us seven days respite, so that we may send messengers to all the territories of Israel. and then if no man delivers us, we will come out to you.”

⁴ Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told this news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept.

⁵ And behold, Saul came following the cattle out of the field. And Saul said, “What ails the people, so that they weep?” And they told him the news of the men of Jabesh.

⁶ Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard that news. And he was exceedingly angry

⁷ and took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territories of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come forth with Saul, and with Samuel, so shall his oxen be served.” And the fear of the LORD fell on the people; and they came out as one man.

⁸ And when he counted them in Bezek, the children of Israel numbered three hundred thousand men, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹ Then they said to the messengers who came, “So say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow by the time the Sun is hot, you shall have help.’” And the messengers came and told it to the men of Jabesh, who were glad.

¹⁰ Therefore, the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you; and you shall do with us all that pleases you.”

¹¹ And when the next day had come, Saul put the people in three bands. And they came in upon the army during the morning watch and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who remained were scattered, so that not even two of them were left together.

¹² Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, so that we may kill them.”

¹³ “But,” said Saul, “no man shall die this day. For today the LORD has saved Israel.”

¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, so that we may go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”

¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king there, before the LORD in Gilgal. And they offered Peace Offerings before the LORD there. And Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly there.