3. “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”
4. When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears.
5. Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh.
6. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry.
7. He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one.
8. When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.