1. About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead. All the people of Jabesh begged Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
2. But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “This is my condition for making a treaty with you: I will gouge out the right eye of every man, and thus bring shame on all Israel.”
3. The elders of Jabesh said to him: “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”
4. When the messengers arrived at Gibeah of Saul and reported the news in the people’s hearing, they all wept aloud.
5. Just then Saul came in from the field, behind his oxen. “Why are the people weeping?” he asked. They repeated the message of the inhabitants of Jabesh for him.
6. As he listened to this report, the spirit of God rushed upon him and he became very angry.
7. Taking a yoke of oxen, he cut them into pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers saying, “If anyone does not come out to follow Saul and Samuel, the same thing will be done to his oxen!” The dread of the Lord came upon the people and they went forth as one.