1
Now Nahash the Ammonitecame up and besieged*Jabesh-gilead*; and all the men of Jabeshsaid to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us and we will serve you."
2
But Nahash the Ammonitesaid to them, "I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the righteye of everyone of you, thus I will make it a reproach on allIsrael."
3
The elders of Jabeshsaid to him, "Let us alone for sevendays, that we may sendmessengersthroughout the territory of Israel. Then, ifthere is noone to deliver us, we will come out to you."
5
Now behold, Saul was coming from the fieldbehind the oxen, and he said, "What is the matter with the people that they weep?" So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
7
He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out afterSaul and afterSamuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." Then the dread of the LORDfell on the people, and they came out as oneman.
9
They said to the messengers who had come, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead*, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will havedeliverance.' " So the messengerswent and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
11
The nextmorningSaulput the people in threecompanies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morningwatch and struckdown the Ammonitesuntil the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that notwo of them were lefttogether.
15
So all the peoplewent to Gilgal, and there they madeSaulkingbefore the LORD in Gilgal. There they also offeredsacrifices of peaceofferingsbefore the LORD; and thereSaul and all the men of Israelrejoicedgreatly.