1 About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead. All the people of Jabesh begged Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “This is my condition for making a treaty with you: I will gouge out the right eye of every man, and thus bring shame on all Israel.”
3 The elders of Jabesh said to him: “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”
4 When the messengers arrived at Gibeah of Saul and reported the news in the people’s hearing, they all wept aloud.
5 Just then Saul came in from the field, behind his oxen. “Why are the people weeping?” he asked. They repeated the message of the inhabitants of Jabesh for him.
6 As he listened to this report, the spirit of God rushed upon him and he became very angry.