¹Then Nahash the Ammonite went 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.” ²And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a covenant with you: that I gouge out every right eye of yours and make it a reproach on all Israel.” ³And the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, and we will send envoys to every territory of Israel, and if we don't have anyone to save us, we will come out to you.” ⁴And the envoys came to Gibeah of Saul, and they spoke the words in the audience of the people. And all the people raised their voice and wept. ⁵And it so happened that Saul came following the cattle from the field, and Saul said, “What is the matter with the people making them weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. ⁶Then the spirit of God came on Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was very much kindled. ⁷And he took a yoke of oxen and divided them in pieces and sent them to every territory of Israel by the hand of envoys and said, “As for anyone who does not come out behind Saul and behind Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out in unison. ⁸And he counted them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel were three hundred thousand in number, and the men of Judah came to thirty thousand. ⁹And they said to the envoys who came, “This is what you will say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: ‘Tomorrow in the heat of the sun, you will have salvation.’ ” So the envoys went back and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced at it. ¹⁰And the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will go out to you, and you will do to us whatever is right in your sight.” ¹¹And it came to pass on the next day that Saul arranged the people in three contingents, and they went into the camp during the morning-watch, and they struck the Ammonites down until the heat of the day. And it came to pass that those remaining were scattered, and no two among them remained together. ¹²And the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Give us the men so we can put them to death.” ¹³Then Saul said, “No-one shall be put to death on this day, for today the Lord accomplished salvation in Israel.” ¹⁴And Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.” ¹⁵So all the people went to Gilgal, and they made Saul king there before the Lord at Gilgal, and they offered peace-sacrifices there before the Lord, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.