1st Shamu'AL (1 Samuel) — 11

Shaul Defeats the Ammunites 

1 About a month later, King Nahash of Ammun led his army against the Yasharalym town of Yabash-gilaad. But all the citizens of Yabash asked for Shalum. “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 shame to all Yashar'AL!”

3 “The elders of Yabash replied; Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Yashar'AL! “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”

4 When the messengers came to where Shaul live in Gibaah and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears. 

5 Shaul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Yabash-gilaad.

6 Then the Ruach of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH came powerfully upon Shaul, and he became very angry. 

7 He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Yashar'AL with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Shaul and Shamu'AL into battle!” And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH made the people afraid of Shaul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 

8 When Shaul mobilized them at Bazak, he found that there were 300,000 men from Yashar'AL and 30,000 men from Yahudah.

9 So Shaul sent the messengers back to Yabash-gilaad to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!

10 The men of Yabash then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” 

11 But before dawn the next morning, Shaul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammunites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.

12 Then the people exclaimed to Shamu'AL, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Shaul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”

13 But Shaul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has rescued Yashar'AL!”

14 Then Shamu'AL said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” 

15 So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH they made Shaul king. Then they offered Shalum offerings to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and Shaul and all the Yasharalym were filled with joy.