1 Samuel 11
All 15 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.
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- 1Nahash the Ammonite came up and camped against Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, 'Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.'
- 2Nahash the Ammonite replied, "I will make a covenant with you on this condition: that I may thrust out all your right eyes and bring disgrace upon all Israel."
- 3The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel. If no one comes to save us, we will come out to you."
- 4When the messengers arrived at Gibeah of Saul and reported the news to the people, everyone lifted up their voices and wept.
- 5Just then, Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. He asked, "What's wrong with everyone? Why are they crying?" So they told him what the men of Jabesh had reported.
- 6The Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard the news, and his anger was greatly kindled.
- 7He grabbed a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces throughout all of Israel with messengers who declared, "Anyone who doesn't march out behind Saul and Samuel — this is what will happen to his oxen!" The fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they rallied together as one.
- 8Saul counted the troops at Bezek: 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 from Judah.
- 9They told the messengers who came, "This is what you shall say to the men of Jabeshgilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have help.'" The messengers went and showed it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.
- 10So the men of Jabesh sent word to Nahash: "Tomorrow we'll come out to you, and you can do whatever you want with us."
- 11The next morning, Saul divided the people into three groups. They entered the middle of the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered so that not even two of them were left together.
- 12The people said to Samuel, "Who is the one that said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring those men here so we can put them to death."
- 13But Saul said, "No one will be put to death today, because today the LORD has brought salvation to Israel."
- 14Then Samuel told the people, "Come, let's go to Gilgal and reaffirm the kingdom there."
- 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD. They sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.