A reading from 1 Samuel.

Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead,

and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash,

Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.

But Nahash the Ammonite said to them,

On this condition I will make a treaty with you,

that I gouge out all your right eyes and thus bring disgrace on all Israel.

The elders of Jabesh said to him,

Give us seven days respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel.

Then if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.

When the messengers came to Gibby of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people and all the

people wept aloud. Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and Saul said,

What is wrong with the people that they are weeping? So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh.

And the spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words and his anger was greatly kindled.

He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel

by the hand of the messengers saying,

Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.

Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out

as one man. When he mustered them at Bezik, the people of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah,

30,000, and they said to the messengers who had come, thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh Gilead,

tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation.

When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. Therefore the men of

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