1 Samuel 11

1 And Nahash the Ammonite cometh up, and encampeth against Jabesh-Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh say unto Nahash, 'Make with us a covenant, and we serve thee.'

Then about a month after this, Nahash the Ammonite came up and put his forces in position for attacking Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make an agreement with us and we will be your servants.

2 And Nahash the Ammonite saith unto them, 'For this I covenant with you, by picking out to you every right eye — and I have put it a reproach on all Israel.'

And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, I will make an agreement with you on this condition, that all your right eyes are put out; so that I may make it a cause of shame to all Israel.

3 And the elders of Jabesh say to him, 'Let us alone seven days, and we send messengers into all the border of Israel: and if there is none saving us — then we have come out unto thee.'

Then the responsible men of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days, so that we may send men to every part of Israel: and then, if no one comes to our help, we will come out to you.

4 And the messengers come to Gibeah of Saul, and speak the words in the ears of the people, and all the people lift up their voice and weep;

So they sent representatives to Saul's town Gibeah, and these gave the news to the people: and all the people gave themselves to weeping.

5 and lo, Saul hath come after the herd out of the field, and Saul saith, 'What — to the people, that they weep?' and they recount to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

Now Saul came from the field, driving the oxen before him; and he said, Why are the people weeping? And they gave him word of what the men of Jabesh had said.

6 And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly,

And at their words, the spirit of God came on Saul with power, and he became very angry.

7 and he taketh a couple of oxen, and cutteth them in pieces, and sendeth through all the border of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, 'He who is not coming out after Saul and after Samuel — thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth on the people, and they come out as one man.

And he took two oxen and, cutting them up, sent them through all the land of Israel by the hand of runners, saying, If any man does not come out after Saul and Samuel, this will be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord came on the people and they came out like one man.

8 And he inspecteth them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

And he had them numbered in Bezek: the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

9 And they say to the messengers who are coming, 'Thus do ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye have safety — by the heat of the sun;' and the messengers come and declare to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoice;

Then he said to the representatives who had come, Say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is high, you will be made safe. And the representatives came and gave the news to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

10 and the men of Jabesh say [to the Ammonites], 'To-morrow we come out unto you, and ye have done to us according to all that [is] good in your eyes.'

So the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.

11 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Saul putteth the people in three detachments, and they come into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch, and smite Ammon till the heat of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered, and there have not been left of them two together.

Now on the day after, Saul put the people into three bands, and in the morning watch they came to the tents of the Ammonites, and they went on attacking them till the heat of the day: and those who were not put to death were put to flight in every direction, so that no two of them were together.

12 And the people say unto Samuel, 'Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.'

And the people said to Samuel, Who was it who said, Is Saul to be our king? give the men up, so that we may put them to death.

13 And Saul saith, 'There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.'

And Saul said, Not a man is to be put to death today: for today the Lord has made Israel safe.

14 And Samuel saith unto the people, 'Come and we go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there;'

Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and there make the kingdom strong in the hands of Saul.

15 and all the people go to Gilgal, and cause Saul to reign there before Jehovah in Gilgal, and sacrifice there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul rejoiceth — and all the men of Israel — very greatly.

So all the people went to Gilgal; and there in Gilgal they made Saul king before the Lord; and peace-offerings were offered before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were glad with great joy.