²⁴ Israel, however, put him to the sword^(A) and took over his land^(B) from the Arnon to the Jabbok,^(C) but only as far as the Ammonites,^(D) because their border was fortified.

¹⁹ When you come to the Ammonites,^(A) do not harass them or provoke them to war,^(B) for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.^(C)”

³ No Ammonite^(A) or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.^(B)

¹³ Getting the Ammonites^(A) and Amalekites^(B) to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.^[a](C)

Jephthah

⁶ Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.^(A) They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths,^(B) and the gods of Aram,^(C) the gods of Sidon,^(D) the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites^(E) and the gods of the Philistines.^(F) And because the Israelites forsook the Lord^(G) and no longer served him,

⁷ he became angry^(A) with them. He sold them^(B) into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites,

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.

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]