He took a yoke of oxen and (A)cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “(B)Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out (C)as one man. He [a]numbered them in (D)Bezek; and the (E)sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 11:8 Lit mustered