1 Samuel 11

2Thereupon Nahas the Ammonite said to them, On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and make you a reproach to Israel.

3And the men of Jabis said to him, Grant us seven days that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and if there be none to deliver us, we will come out to thee.

4Now when the messengers came to Gabaa, to Saul, and delivered this message in the hearing of the people, all the people raised their voice, and wept.

5And behold Saul came, at noon, out of the field. And Saul said, Why are the people weeping? And when they told him the words of the men of Jabis,

6a Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and his anger was greatly inflamed against them,

7and taking two heifers, he cut them in pieces, and sent them to all the borders of Israel, by the hands of messengers, saying, So shall be done to every man’s cattle who goeth not out after Saul and after Samuel. And a dread of the Lord came on all the people of Israel, and they came out as one man.

8And when he had reviewed them at Bezek, in the Bama, the men of Israel, six hundred thousand, and the men of Juda, seventy thousand,

9he said to the messengers who came, Thus shall you say to the men of Jabis, To-morrow, by the time the sun is warm, you shall have help. So when the messengers came to the city, and told the men of Jabis, they were rejoiced.

10And the men of Jabis said to Nahas the Ammanite, To-morrow we will come out to you, that you may do to us what is good in your sight.

11Now, on the morrow, Saul divided the people into three armies, and they entered the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammanites till the day grew warm; and when they who were left, were dispersed, so that not two of them were found together,

12the people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Saul shall not reign over us? Deliver up those men, that we may put them to death.

13Whereupon Saul said, Not a man shall this day be put to death; for today the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel.

15So all the people went to Galgal; and Samuel anointed Saul to be king, before the Lord, at Galgal, and there they offered sacrifices, and peace offerings before the Lord, and Samuel and all the people rejoiced with exceeding great joy.