Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you."
But Nahash replied, "I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you, bringing disgrace on all Israel."
The elders of Jabesh said, "Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel. If no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you."
When the messengers reached Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud.
Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen. He asked, "What is wrong with the people? Why are they weeping?" They repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
When Saul heard this, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger.
He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, "This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel." The terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they turned out as one man.
Saul mustered the men at Bezek. The Israelites numbered three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
They told the messengers, "Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be delivered.'" When the messengers reported this to Jabesh, the people were elated.
They told the Ammonites, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you."
The next day, Saul divided his men into three groups. During the last watch of the night, they broke into the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. The survivors were scattered, and not two of them remained together.
The people then said to Samuel, "Who was it that asked, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring these men to us, and we will put them to death."
But Saul replied, "No one shall be put to death today, for the LORD has rescued Israel."
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and reaffirm the kingship."
So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. They sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all Israel held a great celebration.