1 Samuel 11:5–10

5 Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. “What’s the matter with the people? Why are they weeping?” Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh.

6 When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly came powerfully on him,z and his anger burned furiously. 7 He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces,aa and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.”ab As a result, the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out united.ac

8 Saul counted them at Bezek.ad There were three hundred thousandB,ae Israelites and thirty thousandC men from Judah. 9 He told the messengers who had come, “Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’ ” So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.

10 Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do whatever you want to us.”