1 N ow Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us and we will serve you.”

And Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.

2 B ut Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it a reproach on all Israel.”

But Nahash the Ammonite told them, On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I thrust out all your right eyes and thus lay disgrace on all Israel.

3 T he 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.”

The elders of Jabesh said to Nahash, Give us seven days’ time, that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no man to save us, we will come out to you.

4 T hen the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.

Then messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the ears of the people; and all the people wept aloud.

5 N ow behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

Now Saul came out of the field after the oxen, and said, What ails the people that they are weeping? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

6 T hen the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry.

The Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was greatly kindled.

7 H e took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “ Whoever 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 as one man.

And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whoever does not come forth after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen! And terror from the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

8 H e numbered them in Bezek; and the sons of Israel were 300, 000, and the men of Judah 30, 000.

And he numbered them at Bezek, and the Israelites were 300, 000 and the men of Judah 30, 000.

9 T hey 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.

The messengers who came were told, Say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help. The messengers came and reported to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

10 T hen the men of Jabesh said, “ Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.”

So the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us all that seems good to you.

11 T he next morning Saul put the people in 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.

The next day Saul put the men in three companies; and they came into the midst of the enemy’s camp in the morning watch and slew the Ammonites until midday; and the survivors were scattered, so that no two of them remained together.

12 T hen the people said to Samuel, “ Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.”

The people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men, that we may put them to death.

13 B ut Saul said, “ Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished deliverance in Israel.”

But Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day, for today the Lord has brought deliverance to Israel.

14 T hen Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”

Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.

15 S o all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

All the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul king before the Lord. And there they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.