Saul Defeats the Ammonites

Then Nahash[fn] the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead All the men of Jabesh said to him,“Make a treaty[fn] with us, and we will serve you.”

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But Nahash the Ammonite replied,“I will make [a treaty] with you on one [condition], that I may put out vvv everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.”

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“Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh,“and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If [there is] no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”

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When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud

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Just then Saul was returning from the field, behind his oxen.“What [troubles] the people?” asked Saul.“Why are they weeping?” And they relayed to him the words of the men from Jabesh.

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When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger 7 He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent [them] by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming,“This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel.”

Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out together as one man. 8 And when [Saul] numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 {} Israelites and 30,000[fn] men of Judah. 9 So they said to the messengers who had come,“Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’ ”

And when the messengers relayed [this] to the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.

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Then the men of Jabesh said [to Nahash],“Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you.”

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The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions, and during the morning watch they invaded the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them, until the hottest part of the day. And the survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.

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