1 Samuel 11:1-15, NLT
1 Samuel 11
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1About a month later,*11:1 As in Dead Sea Scroll 4QSama and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks About a month later. King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.
2“All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!”
3“Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”
4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears.
6Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry.
9So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!
10The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.”
12Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”
14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.”