Chapter 11

Then Nahash the Ammonite came up,⁴ and encamped⁴ against Jabeshgilead: ¹⁵⁶⁸ and all the men of Jabesh said⁴ unto Nahash, Make³ a covenant with us, and we will serve⁴ thee.

And Nahash the Ammonite answered⁴ them, On this [condition] will I make⁴ [a covenant] with you, that I may thrust out² all your right eyes, and lay¹ it [for] a reproach upon all Israel.

And the elders of Jabesh said⁴ unto him, Give us seven days' respite,⁵⁴ that we may send⁴ messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if [there be] no man to save⁵⁶ us, we will come out¹ to thee.

Then came⁴ the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told¹⁷ the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up⁴ their voices, and wept.⁴

And, behold, Saul came¹ after the herd out of the field; and Saul said,⁴ What [aileth] the people that they weep?⁴ And they told¹⁷ him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

And the Spirit of God came⁴ upon Saul when he heard² those tidings, and his anger was kindled⁴ greatly.

And he took⁴ a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces,¹⁷ and sent¹⁷ [them] throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying,² Whosoever cometh not forth⁶ after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done¹¹ unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell⁴ on the people, and they came out⁴ with one consent.

And when he numbered⁴ them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

And they said⁴ unto the messengers that came,⁶ Thus shall ye say⁴ unto the men of Jabeshgilead, ¹⁵⁶⁸ To morrow, by [that time] the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came⁴ and shewed⁵⁵ [it] to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.⁴

Therefore the men of Jabesh said,⁴ To morrow we will come out⁴ unto you, and ye shall do¹ with us all that seemeth good unto you.

And it was [so] on the morrow, that Saul put⁴ the people in three companies; and they came⁴ into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew⁵⁵ the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained¹² were scattered,⁴ so that two of them were not left⁸ together.

And the people said⁴ unto Samuel, Who [is] he that said,⁶ Shall Saul reign⁴ over us? bring³ the men, that we may put them to death.⁵⁵

And Saul said,⁴ There shall not a man be put to death⁹³ this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought¹ salvation in Israel.

Then said⁴ Samuel to the people, Come,³ and let us go⁴ to Gilgal, and renew¹⁷ the kingdom there.

And all the people went⁴ to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king⁵⁵ before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed⁴ sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced⁴ greatly.