1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel.
14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
<html><b>Each right eye.</b> Explain it literally.1<i class=“footnote”>As a symbol of everlasting defeat.</i> But the Midrash Aggadah [explains it figuratively, that he said,] “Bring me your Torah scroll which was given by the right hand [of God],2<i class=“footnote”>See Devarim 33:2.</i> and I will burn it, because He wrote in it, “Neither an Ammonite nor a Moavite may enter [into Adonoy's community].”3<i class=“footnote”>Devarim 23:4. Therefore, Nochosh said that he cannot accept any form of peace treaty with the Bnei Yisroel when the Torah specifically forbids to seek peace with Ammon. In Devarim 23:7 the Torah stated with regard to Ammon and Moav, “You shall not seek their peace or welfare, all your days, forever.” Nochosh therefore wanted to burn the Torah.</i><br><b>A sign of shame.</b> An insult.</html>
<html><b>Behind the cattle.</b> After the appointed time that the cattle come in from the field.</html>
<html><b>To his cattle.</b> To his animals.</html>
<html><b>He counted them in Bezek.</b> Our Rabbis said that he counted them using earthenware shards.4<i class=“footnote”> See Maseches Yoma 22b. According to this rendering, Bezek is not a name of a place, but rather a description of the means used by which to count the people.</i> Another explanation is that <span>בְּבָזֶק</span> means 'with pebbles,' i.e., he took a pebble from each one, and counted them, similar to, “And he counted them with lambs,”5<i class=“footnote”>Below 15:4.</i> i.e., he took a lamb from each one, and counted them with the lambs, just as they would count them with half shekels.6<i class=“footnote”> See Rashi Ibid.</i> Targum reders, in the verse, “as one who loads a pebble [<span>אֶבֶן</span>] for throwing in a slingshot,”7<i class=“footnote”> Mishlei 26:8.</i> as one who loads a <span>בִּזְקָא</span> into a slingshot. And in [Midrash] Yelam'denu, “And he counted them with lambs,” [is explained as,] “when they were poor, [they were counted] with pebbles and when they became rich, [they were counted] with lambs. Another explanation is that <span>בָזֶק</span> is the name of a place, mentioned in Shoftim, “they found Adoni Bezek in Bezek.”8<i class=“footnote”>Shoftim 1:5.</i></html>
<html><b>Who is it that says.</b> Derisively, “Shaul will reign over us?” Give them over and we will execute them. <b>Will reign over us.</b> As a question.</html>
<html><b>And Shmuel said, “…and renew the kingdom there.”</b> Because at first there was opposition in the matter, but now they unanimously agreed.9<i class=“footnote”> Shmuel merely invited them to Gilgol; it was not a command. See above 9:9 for a similar expression <span>וְנֵלְכָה</span>. However, now that Shaul saved the people of Yoveish Gilad from the Ammonites; all the people rallied behind him and accepted him as their king.</i></html>