1 Samuel 11:7-9

International Children’s Bible

⁷ So he took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces. Then he gave the pieces of the oxen to messengers. He ordered them to carry the pieces through all the land of Israel.

The messengers made an announcement to the people. They said, “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” So the people became very afraid of the Lord. They all came together as if they were one person. ⁸ Saul gathered the people together at Bezek. There were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.

⁹ They spoke to the messengers who had come. They said, “Tell the people at Jabesh Gilead this: ‘Before the day becomes hot tomorrow, you will be saved.’” So the messengers went and reported this to the people at Jabesh. They were very happy.