And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
Just then, Saul came back from the field, following behind his cattle. When he saw the people crying, Saul asked, 'What's wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?' So they told him the news about what happened to the men of Jabesh.
Saul returns from working in the fields to find his people weeping and asks what has happened, learning about the crisis in Jabesh.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs early in Saul's reign as Israel's first king, when he was still working as a farmer rather than ruling full-time. The men of Jabesh-gilead had been threatened by the Ammonite king Nahash, who demanded to gouge out their right eyes as the price of a peace treaty. This crisis would become Saul's first major test as king and military leader.
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