²³ Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”^(A)

⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” Samuel prayed to the Lord,^(A)

Israel’s Request for a King Granted

¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, “No! We are determined to have a king over us,

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

11 About a month later,^[a] 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.”^(A)