¶ Then Nahash¹ the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead²: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make³ a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this⁴ condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust⁵ out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach⁶ upon all Israel.

And the elders⁷ of Jabesh said unto him, Give us⁸ seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.

Then came the messengers to Gibeah⁹ of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up¹⁰ their voices, and wept.

¶ And, behold, Saul came after the herd¹¹ out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth¹² the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

And the Spirit of God¹³ came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger¹⁴ was kindled greatly.

And he took¹⁵ a yoke of oxen, and hewed¹⁶ them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever¹⁷ cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear¹⁸ of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent¹⁹.

And when he numbered them in Bezek²⁰, the children²¹ of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help²². And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

¶ Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow²³ we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.

And it was so on the morrow²⁴, that Saul put the people in three²⁵ companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning²⁶ watch, and slew²⁷ the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two²⁸ of them were not left together.

¶ And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he²⁹ that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

And Saul said, There shall³⁰ not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD³¹ hath wrought salvation in Israel.

Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go³² to Gilgal, and renew³³ the kingdom there.

And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD³⁴ in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed³⁵ sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly³⁶.