CHAPTER 11
1 And it was done as after a month, Nahash of Ammon went up, and began to fight against Jabesh of Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Have thou us bound in peace, and we shall serve thee.
2 And Nahash of Ammon answered to them, In this I shall smite bond of peace with you, that I put out the right eyes of all you, and that I put you to be reproof in all Israel.
3 And the elder men of Jabesh said to him, Grant thou to us seven days, that we send messengers to all the coasts of Israel; and if none be that defend us, we shall go out to thee.
4 Then messengers came into Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words, while the people heard; and all the people raised their voice, and wept.
5 And lo! Saul came from the field, and he pursued [or following] [the] oxen; and he said, What hath the people, for it weepeth? And they told to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of the Lord fell at once into Saul, when he had heard these words, and his fierce wrath was greatly stirred.
7 And he took ever either ox, and he cut them into gobbets, and he sent those into all the coasts of Israel, by the hands of messengers; and he said, Whoever goeth not out, and pursueth [or followed] not Saul and Samuel, so it shall be done to his oxen. Therefore the dread of the Lord went into the people, and they went out as one man.
8 And Saul numbered them in Bezek; and three hundred thousand were there of the sons of Israel; and of the men of Judah were thirty thousand.
9 And they said to the messengers that came, Thus ye shall say to the men that be in Jabesh of Gilead, Tomorrow shall be health to you, when the sun is hot. Then the messengers came, and told to the men of Jabesh; the which were glad,
10 and said to Ammon, Early we shall go out to you, and ye shall do to us all that pleaseth to you*.
11 And it was done, when the morrowtide came, Saul ordained the people into three parts; and he entered into the middle tents in the waking of the morrowtide, and he smote Ammon till the day was hot; forsooth the residues were scattered, so that twain together were not left in them.
12 And the people said to Samuel, Who is this, that said, Saul shall not reign upon us? Give ye up the men, and we shall slay them.
13 And Saul said, No man shall be slain in this day, for today the Lord hath made health in Israel.
14 And Samuel said to the people, Come ye, and go we into Gilgal, and renew we there the realm.
15 And all the people went into Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and they offered there peaceable sacrifices before the Lord. And Saul was glad there, and all the men of Israel greatly.
* CHAPTER 11:10 They said this in scorn, for they knew that help shall come to them in the morrow.