Chapter 11

¹Then 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. ²Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel. ³The elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to you. ⁴Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept. ⁵Behold, 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. ⁶The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. ⁷He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. ⁸He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. ⁹They said to the messengers who came, Thus shall you tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance. The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. ¹⁰Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you. ¹¹It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. ¹²The people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. ¹³Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel. ¹⁴Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. ¹⁵All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.