Shmuel I - Chapter 11

1. And Nahash the Ammonite went up and camped against Jabesh-Gilead. And all the people of Jabesh-Gilead said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we shall serve you."

2. And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this (condition) will I make a treaty with you, by gouging out the right eye of every one of you, and I shall make it a reproach against all Israel."

3. And the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers throughout the entire border of Israel, and if there is no one to save us, we shall come out to you."

4. And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke the words in the ears of the people. And the people raised their voice and cried.

5. And behold, Saul came after the cattle from the field. And Saul said, "What is troubling the people, that they cry?" And they told him the words of the people of Jabesh.

6. And a spirit of God passed over Saul when he heard these words, and his wrath was kindled greatly.

7. And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the entire border of Israel in the hand of the messengers, saying, "Whosoever does not go forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall be done to his oxen," and a fear from the Lord fell upon the people, and they went forth as one man.

8. And he counted them in Bezek, and 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, "So shall you say to the people of Jabesh-Gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.' " And the messengers came and told to the people of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.

10. And the people of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we shall come out to you, and you may do to us all that is good in your eyes."

11. And it was on the morrow, that Saul put the people into three contingents, and they came into the midst of the camp during the morning watch, and they smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it was, that those remaining, scattered, and no two of them remained together.

12. And the people said to Samuel, "Whosoever says, 'Saul will reign over us?' give over the people and let us put them to death. "

13. And Saul said, "No man shall be put to death on this day, for today, the Lord has wrought deliverance in Israel."

14. And Samuel said to the people, "Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew there the kingdom."

15. And all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal, and there they slaughtered peace-offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the people rejoiced greatly.