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the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out everyone’s right eye, and so bring reproach on all Israel.”
3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Don’t do anything to us for seven days, so we can send messengers throughout all of Israel, and if there is no one to deliver us, we will surrender to you.”
4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and reported these terms in the hearing of the people, they all wept loudly. 5 Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen, and he asked, “What troubles these people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him the report of the men of Jabesh.
6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger burned furiously. 7 He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout all the territories of Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not come out in support of Saul and of Samuel.” Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 When Saul numbered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 They said to the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be delivered’.” So the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced. 10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever seems good to you.”
11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions. Then during the morning watch, they broke into the camp of the Ammonites, and they cut them down until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring these men to us, so we may put them to death.”
13 But Saul said, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has provided deliverance in Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and reaffirm the kingship there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and they confirmed Saul as king there in the presence of the Lord there. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all of the men of Israel held a great celebration.