| Chapter
11 |
| 1 | Then
Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men
of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve
thee. |
| 2 | And Nahash the
Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that
I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all
Israel. |
| 3 | And the elders
of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send
messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save
us, we will come out to thee. |
| 4
| Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in
the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and
wept. |
| 5 | And, behold, Saul
came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people
that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. |
| 6 | And the Spirit of God came upon
Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. |
| 7 | And he took a yoke of oxen, and
hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the
hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after
Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the
people, and they came out with one consent. |
| 8 | And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of
Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. |
| 9 | And they said unto the
messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To
morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers
came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. |
| 10 | Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To
morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good
unto you. |
| 11 | And it was
so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came
into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until
the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were
scattered, so that two of them were not left together. |
| 12 | And the people said unto Samuel, Who
is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring 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 to day the LORD hath
wrought salvation in Israel. |
| 14
| Then said Samuel 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 king before the
LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before
the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. |
