Nochosh the Ammonite went up and camped against Yoveish Gilad. All the people of Yoveish said to Nochosh, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."

But Nochosh the Ammonite said to them, "On this [condition] I will make a covenant with you; when we gouge out each right eye of yours and I will make it a sign of shame for all of Yisroel."

The elders of Yoveish said to him, "Hold off from [attacking] us for seven days while we send messengers throughout all the Land of Yisroel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you."

The messengers came to Givas Shaul and told the people these words; the people raised their voices and wept.

Just then Shaul was coming in from the field, behind the cattle: Shaul said, "What happened to the people that they are crying?" They told him what the men from Yoveish said.

The spirit of God passed over Shaul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.

He took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces, and he sent them throughout the Land of Yisroel—with the messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out to follow Shaul and Shmuel, so shall be done to his cattle." The fear of Adonoy fell upon the people, and they went forth as one man.

He counted them at Bezek, and the Bnei Yisroel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yehudah were thirty thousand.

They said to the messengers who had come, "So shall you say to the people of Yoveish Gilad: 'Tomorrow there will be a salvation for you by [the time] the sun gets hot.'" The messengers came and told the people of Yoveish, and they rejoiced.

So the people of Yoveish said, "Tomorow we will go out to you, and you may do to us as you see fit."

On the next day Shaul divided the people into three forces. They entered into the camp during the morning watch, and they struck down the Ammonites by [the time] the day became hot. There were survivors and they scattered, so that no two remained together.

The people then said to Shmuel, "Who is it that says, 'Will Shaul reign over us?' Give us these men and we will put them to death."

Shaul said to them,. "Let no man be put to death this day, for today Adonoy has brought salvation for Yisroel."

Shmuel said to the people, "Come and let us go to Gilgol, and renew the kingdom there."

All the people went to Gilgol; there, they made Shaul king, before Adonoy, at Gilgol. There they offered peace-offerings before Adonoy; and there Shaul rejoiced—and all the men of Yisroel—greatly.