1 Samuel 11

1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon [led his army across the Jordan River, and they] surrounded Jabesh [city] in [the] Gilead [region]. But all the men of Jabesh [went and] said to Nahash, “Make an agreement/treaty with us [not to kill us], and then we will let you rule us.”

2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out. I will make this dishonor all Israel.”

Nahash replied, “I will do that if you do one thing. Allow us to gouge out all the right eyes of your people. By doing that we will cause the people [in other countries] to despise all you Israeli people.”

3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”

The leaders of Jabesh replied, “Do not attack us for the next seven days. During that time, we will send messengers throughout Israel [to tell them what you are demanding]. If no one will help us, then we will (surrender to you/allow you to do to us whatever you want).”

4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people, then all the people lifted up their voice and wept.

[Being very confident that his army was very superior, Nahash agreed. So the leaders of Jabesh sent messengers throughout Israel]. When the messengers came to Gibeah, which was [the city] where Saul lived, and they told the people there about the situation, everyone started to cry.

5 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, “What ails the people that they weep?” They told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

At that time, Saul was plowing in the field. When he returned home, he asked, “Why are all the people [crying]?” So they told him what the messengers from Jabesh had reported.

6 God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burned hot.

Then God’s Spirit came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry [because of what Nahash wanted to do].

7 He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, then sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

He took two of his oxen [and killed them] and cut them into pieces. Then he sent messengers [carrying those pieces] throughout Israel to tell people this message: “Saul says that [he cut this ox in pieces, and that he] will do the same thing to the oxen of anyone who refuses to come with him and Samuel to fight [the army from Ammon]!” Then Yahweh caused all the people of Israel to be afraid of what Saul might do to them (OR, of what Yahweh might do to them) [if they did not go and help Saul]. So the men all gathered together.

8 He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

When Saul gave them all weapons at Bezek, he saw that there were 300,000 Israeli men there, as well as 30,000 men from the tribe of Judah.

9 They said to the messengers who came, “Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.’” The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

So Saul sent messengers back to the people at Jabesh to tell them, “We will rescue/save you by noontime tomorrow.” When the people of Jabesh heard that message, they were very joyful/happy.

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

Then the men of Jabesh told [Nahash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and then you can do to us whatever you want to.”

11 On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

But before the sun rose the next morning, Saul [and his army arrived. He] divided them into three groups. They rushed into the camp of the soldiers from Ammon, and attacked them. By noontime they had killed most of them, and those who were not killed scattered. Each of them who ran away ran away alone.

12 The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”

Then the people [of Jabesh] said to Samuel, “Where are those men who said that they did not want Saul to be our king? Bring them here, and we will kill them!”

13 Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel.”

But Saul replied, “[No], we are not going to execute anyone today, because this is the day that Yahweh has saved us Israeli people. [It is a day to rejoice, not to kill anyone].”

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”

Then Samuel said to the people, “Let’s all go to Gilgal, and there we will again proclaim [that Saul is] our king.”

15 All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

So they went to Gilgal. There, knowing that Yahweh was watching, they proclaimed that Saul was their king. Then they offered sacrifices to enable them to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. And Saul and all the other Israeli people were very happy.