Preach the word. Be ready to serve God in good times and bad. Correct people’s mistakes. Warn them. Encourage them with words of hope. Be very patient as you do these things. Teach them carefully.
The messengers who had come were told,“ Go back and report to the men of Jabesh Gilead. Tell them,‘ By the hottest time of the day tomorrow, you will be rescued.’ ” The messengers went and reported it to the men of Jabesh. It made those men very happy.They said to the people of Ammon,“ Tomorrow we’ll hand ourselves over to you. Then you can do to us whatever you like.”The next day Saul separated his men into three groups. While it was still dark, they broke into the camp of the Ammonite army. They kept killing the men of Ammon until the hottest time of the day. Those who got away were scattered. There weren’t two of them left together anywhere.
No matter what you do, work at it with all your might. Remember, you are going to the place of the dead. And there isn’t any work or planning or knowledge or wisdom there.
Save those who are being led away to death. Hold back those who are about to be killed.Don’t say,“ But we didn’t know anything about this.” Doesn’t the God who knows what you are thinking see it? Doesn’t the God who guards your life know it? He will pay back everyone for what they have done.
