⁴⁷ After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab,^(A) the Ammonites,^(B) Edom,^(C) the kings^[a] of Zobah,^(D) and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.^[b]

⁶ When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious^(A) to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean^(B) foot soldiers from Beth Rehob^(C) and Zobah,^(D) as well as the king of Maakah^(E) with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.^(F)

⁵² All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took^(A) him into his service.

²⁷ And since the Lord had not said he would blot out^(A) the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved^(B) them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

²³ And God raised up against Solomon another adversary,^(A) Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer^(B) king of Zobah.

³ Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer^(A) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,^(B) when he went to restore his monument at^[a] the Euphrates^(C) River.

Samuel Rebukes Saul

13 Saul was thirty^[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-^[b] two years.

² Now you have a king as your leader.^(A) As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons^(B) are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.

Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh

11 Nahash^[a](A) the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead.^(B) And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty^(C) with us, and we will be subject to you.”

² But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition^(D) that I gouge^(E) out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace^(F) on all Israel.”

³ The elders^(G) of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue^(H) us, we will surrender^(I) to you.”

⁴ When the messengers came to Gibeah^(J) of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept^(K) aloud. ⁵ Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.

⁶ When Saul heard their words, the Spirit^(L) of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. ⁷ He took a pair of oxen,^(M) cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel,^(N) proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone^(O) who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.^{(P) 8} When Saul mustered^(Q) them at Bezek,^(R) the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹ They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. ¹⁰ They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender^(S) to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”

¹¹ The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions;^(T) during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites^(U) and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Saul Confirmed as King

¹² The people then said to Samuel, “Who^(V) was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”

¹³ But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today,^(W) for this day the Lord has rescued^(X) Israel.”