The Bible Study Podcast, episode 233. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of 1st Samuel with Chapter 11.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. We continue on with chapter 11. You may remember that in

chapter 10, Saul was anointed king. And so this is what the new king does. Nehash the Ammonite went up and

besieged Jebash Gilead, and all the men of Jebash said to him, make a treaty with us, and we will be

subject to you. But Nahash, the Ammonite, replied, I, make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you. But Nahash

the Ammonite replied, I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right

eye of every one of you, and so bring disgrace on all Israel. The elders of Jebash said to him,

give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel. If no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.

When the messengers came to Givya of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud.

Just then Saul was returning from the fields behind his oxen, and he asked,

What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping? Then they repeated to him what the men of Jebash

had said. When Saul heard their words, the spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned

with anger. He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout

Israel, proclaiming, this is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul

and Samuel. Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one,

when Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel, number 300,000, and those of Judah, 30,000.

They told the messengers who had come, say to the men of Jebash-Giliad,

by the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued. When the messengers went and reported

this to the men of Jebash, they were elated. They said to the Amorites, tomorrow we will

surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like. The next day, Saul separated his men into three divisions

during the last watch of the night. They broke into the camp of the Amarites and slaughtered

them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered so that no two of them were left

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