1. About this time, King Nahash of Ammon came with his army and surrounded the town of Jabesh in Gilead. The people who lived there told Nahash, “If you will sign a peace treaty with us, you can be our ruler, and we will pay taxes to you.”
2. Nahash answered, “Certainly, I'll sign a treaty! But not before I insult Israel by putting out the right eye of every man who lives in Jabesh.”
3. The town leaders said, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers everywhere in Israel to ask for help. If no one comes here to save us, we will surrender to you.”
4. Some of the messengers went to Gibeah, Saul's home town. They told what was happening at Jabesh, and everyone in Gibeah started crying.
5. Just then, Saul came in from the fields, walking behind his oxen.“Why is everyone crying?” Saul asked.They told him what the men from Jabesh had said.
6. Then the Spirit of God suddenly took control of Saul and made him furious.
7. Saul killed two of his oxen, cut them up in pieces, and gave the pieces to the messengers. He told them to show the pieces to everyone in Israel and say, “Saul and Samuel are getting an army together. Come and join them. If you don't, this is what will happen to your oxen!”The Lord made the people of Israel terribly afraid. So all the men came together