⁵ Now Saul was walking behind the^[a] oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, “What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him about^[b] the men of Jabesh.

⁷ He took a pair^[a] of oxen and cut them up. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, who said, “Whoever does not go out after Saul and after Samuel should expect this to be done to his oxen!” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one army.^[b]