1Then Nahash the Ammonite came and surrounded Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a peace treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
2Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will only make a treaty with you if I can gouge out every one of your right eyes. This will bring disgrace on all of Israel.”
3The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout all the territory of Israel. If no one comes to save us, then we will surrender to you.”
4When the messengers arrived at Saul's Gibeah and delivered their message to the people, everyone cried loudly.
5Just then, Saul was coming in from the field, behind his oxen. Saul asked, “What's wrong with everyone? Why are they crying?” They told him what the men of Jabesh had said.
6God's Spirit powerfully came upon Saul when he heard those words, and he became furious.
7He took a yoke of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by messengers. He said, "Anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel will have this done to their oxen." The fear of Yahweh fell on the people, and they all came out as one group.
8Saul counted them in Bezek. There were three hundred thousand men from Israel and thirty thousand from Judah.
9They told the messengers who had come, "Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.'" The messengers went and told the men of Jabesh, and they were joyful.
10So the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do whatever you think is right with us."
11The next day, Saul divided his people into three groups. They entered the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and attacked them until midday. Those who survived were scattered so thoroughly that no two of them were left together.
12The people said to Samuel, "Who were the ones who asked, 'Will Saul reign over us?' Bring those men so we can put them to death!"
13Saul said, "No one will be put to death today, because today Yahweh has saved Israel."
14Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let's go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there."
15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there, before Yahweh, they made Saul king. They offered peace sacrifices to Yahweh, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly there.