And ^aNahash the Ammonite came up and ¹besieged ^bJabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Cut ^ca covenant with us, and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will cut it with you on this condition, ^athat I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it ^ba reproach on all Israel.” 3 ^aThen the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.” 4 Then the messengers came ^ato Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people ^blifted up their voices and wept.

5 Now behold, Saul was coming from the field ^abehind the oxen, and ¹he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then ^athe Spirit of God ¹came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and ²he burned with anger exceedingly. 7 Then he took a pair of oxen and ^acut them in pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “^bWhoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out ^cas one man. 8 And he ¹numbered them in ^aBezek; and the ^bsons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 9 And 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 have salvation.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “^aTomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good in your eyes.” 11 Then the next morning Saul put the people ^ain three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 Then the people said to Samuel, “^aWho is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ ^1bBring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “^aNot a man shall be put to death this day, for today ^bYahweh has accomplished salvation in Israel.”

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to ^aGilgal and ^brenew the kingdom there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king ^abefore Yahweh in Gilgal. There they also ^boffered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were exceedingly glad.

Now ^aNahash the Ammonite came up and ¹besieged ^bJabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make ^ca covenant with us and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, ^athat I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it ^ba reproach on all Israel.” 3 ^aThe elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.” 4 Then the messengers came ^ato Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people ^blifted up their voices and wept.

5 Now behold, Saul was coming from the field ^abehind the oxen, and ¹he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then ^athe Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and ¹he became very angry. 7 He took a yoke of oxen and ^acut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “^bWhoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out ^cas one man. 8 He ¹numbered them in ^aBezek; and the ^bsons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 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 have deliverance.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “^aTomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good ¹to you.” 11 The next morning Saul put the people ^ain three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 Then the people said to Samuel, “^aWho is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ ^1bBring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “^aNot a man shall be put to death this day, for today ^bthe LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel.”

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to ^aGilgal and ^brenew the kingdom there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king ^abefore the LORD in Gilgal. There they also ^boffered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.