The people are then dismissed; "and
Saul also went home to Gibeah, and with him the warriors whose
heart God had touched, but the children of Belial despised him,
and said 'How shall this man save us!'"
But Saul is at this point only king _de jure_; he does not become
king _de facto_ until after he has proved himself, chap. xi. After
an interval of a month (x. 27 LXX) the men of Jabesh, besieged by
the Ammonites and in great straits, send messengers throughout
Israel to implore speedy assistance, since in seven days they
have to surrender to their enemies and each of them to lose his
right eye. The messengers come to the town of Saul, Gibeah in
Benjamin, and tell their message before the people; the people
lift up their voices and weep. Saul meanwhile comes from the
field with a yoke of oxen, and, observing the general weeping,
asks what has happened. The story is told him, and at once the
Spirit of God comes upon him and his anger is kindled greatly;
he hews in pieces his oxen and sends the pieces throughout Israel
with the summons: Whoever does not come forth to the battle, so
shall it be done to his oxen! And the fear of Jehovah falls on
the people, and they go out as one man and relieve the besieged
town.
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