1
And Nahash the Ammonite went··up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead; and all the men◦ of Jabesh said to▵ Nahash, cut a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2
And Nahash the Ammonite said to▵ them, In this will I cut it with you, by taking··out◦ every right eye, that I may set it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3
And the elders of Jabesh said to▵ him, Let··go of us seven days and we will send messengers into all the borders of Israel, and if there is none to save us, we will go··out to▵ thee.
4
And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke the words in the ears of the people; and all the people lifted··up their voice and wept.
5
And, behold, Saul came after the cattle from the field, and Saul said, What happened to the people that they weep? And they recounted◦ to him the words of the men◦ of Jabesh.
6
And the Spirit of God came··mightily on Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was· very ·fierce.
7
And he took a pair of cattle, and cut· them ·into··sections, and he sent them into every border of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, He who goes· not◦ ·out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his cattle; and the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they went··out as one man◦.
8
And he mustered them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men◦ of Judah thirty thousand.
9
And they said unto the messengers who came, Thus shall you say unto the men◦ of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, when the sun is hot, you shall have◦ salvation. And the messengers came and told the men◦ of Jabesh, and they were··glad.
10
And the men◦ of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come··out unto▵ you, and you shall do to us all that is good in your eyes.
11
And it was, on the morrow, that Saul set the people in three companies◦, and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch▵, and smote Ammon until the heat of the day; and it was, that they who were··left were scattered, and not two of them were··left together.
12
And the people said unto▵ Samuel, Who is he who said, shall Saul reign over us? Give up the men◦, that we may··put· them ·to··death.
13
And Saul said, there shall· not a man◦ ·be··put··to··death this day; for today Jehovah has wrought salvation in Israel.
14
And Samuel said to▵ the people, Come and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul be··king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace··offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul was··glad and all the men◦ of Israel, even◦ exceedingly.
