1 Samuel 11

1Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh told Nahash, “If you make a treaty with us, we will be subject to you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “I will make a treaty with you, but only on this condition: I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you. In this way I will bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, so that we can send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if no one comes to rescue us, we will come out and surrender to you.” 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people what had happened, all the people wept aloud. 5Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. He asked, “What is wrong with the people? Why are they weeping?” They told him what the men of Jabesh had said. 6When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God rushed on him, and he became very angry. 7He took a yoke of oxen and cut them up, and he sent the pieces by the messengers through all the territory of Israel with this message: “Anyone who does not come out behind Saul and Samuel will have the same done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8When Saul counted them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 9They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Rescue will come to you tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot.’” When the messengers went back and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. 10Then the men of Jabesh said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever you think best.”

11The next day Saul arranged the army in three companies. During the morning watch they broke into the camp and cut down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. The survivors were scattered so widely that no two of them were left together. 12Then the people said to Samuel, “Who were the ones who said, ‘Is Saul to reign over us?’ Hand those men over, and we will put them to death.” 13But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for today the LORD has brought deliverance to Israel.”

14Samuel then told the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there, in the presence of the LORD at Gilgal, they made Saul king. They offered peace offerings there before the LORD, and Saul and all the men of Israel celebrated with great joy.