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
8. at Bezek. Saul had them organized and counted. There were three hundred thousand from Israel and thirty thousand from Judah.
9. Saul and his officers sent the messengers back to Jabesh with this promise: “We will rescue you tomorrow afternoon.” The messengers went back to the people at Jabesh and told them that they were going to be rescued.Everyone was encouraged!
10. So they told the Ammonites, “We will surrender to you tomorrow, and then you can do whatever you want to.”
11. The next day, Saul divided his army into three groups and attacked before daylight. They started killing Ammonites and kept it up until afternoon. A few Ammonites managed to escape, but they were scattered far from each other.