00:00Hey everyone, and welcome back to our super fun story time.
00:04Today, we're going on an adventure back in time to meet Israel's very first king,
00:09a tall and brave man named Saul.
00:11We'll see how a really scary situation turned into an amazing story of courage,
00:16teamwork, and a big, big victory.
00:19Are you ready? Let's dive in.
00:21Our story starts in a city called Jabesh Ghali.
00:24The people there were in big trouble.
00:26A powerful army, the Ammonites, had surrounded their city.
00:30Their leader, a mean guy named Nahash, told the people of Jabesh Ghali something awful.
00:36He said, I'll make a deal with you, but it's a terrible one.
00:40I will let you live, but only if I can harm every single one of you.
00:44Yikes.
00:45Imagine how scared they must have been.
00:47They felt completely alone and helpless.
00:50The people of Jabesh Ghali were so desperate.
00:53They asked Nahash for just seven days to see if anyone in all of Israel would come to help them.
00:59They sent messengers, running as fast as they could, crying out for help.
01:04They were hoping, just hoping, that someone would hear them and come to their rescue.
01:09It was a really sad and scary time for them.
01:12Now, where was Saul during all of this?
01:14Well, Saul had just been chosen as king, but he was still living a pretty normal life.
01:19He was actually out in the field, working with his oxen.
01:23When he came back to his town, he saw everyone crying.
01:27He asked, what's wrong?
01:29Why is everyone so upset?
01:30They told him the terrible news about Jabesh Ghali and the cruel threat from the Ammonites.
01:36When Saul heard this, something incredible happened.
01:39The Bible tells us the Spirit of God came upon him with great power.
01:43He wasn't scared.
01:44He became super angry at the injustice.
01:46It was like a fire was lit inside him.
01:49He knew he had to do something, and he had to do it fast.
01:52This was his first big test as king, and he was ready to step up and lead his people.
01:58He sent messengers throughout Israel with a powerful message to follow him to save Jabesh Ghali.
02:03It was a very serious way of saying, we are all in this together.
02:08We must unite and fight for our friends in Jabesh Ghali.
02:11And guess what?
02:12It worked.
02:13The people of Israel saw this, and a sense of duty, a sense of unity, came over them.
02:19They knew this was serious.
02:21They gathered together as one giant army, ready to follow their new king.
02:25Everyone from all the different tribes of Israel came together.
02:29For the first time in a long time, they weren't just separate groups.
02:32They were one nation, united against a common enemy.
02:35It was an amazing sight.
02:38With his massive army ready, Saul sent a message back to the worried people of Jabesh Ghali.
02:43The message was full of hope.
02:45It said, don't you worry.
02:47By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be saved.
02:50Can you imagine the relief they felt?
02:52They had been so scared, thinking no one would help them.
02:56But now, they had a promise from their king.
02:58They had hope.
02:59Their sadness turned to joy.
03:01And they prepared for the rescue they knew was coming.
03:04Saul was not just brave, he was also very smart.
03:07He came up with a brilliant military plan.
03:10He knew that a surprise attack would give them the best chance of winning.
03:14So, he divided his huge army into three groups.
03:17Under the cover of darkness, while the Ammonite army was sleeping,
03:22Saul and his soldiers marched quietly and surrounded their camp.
03:26Then, just as the sun was starting to rise,
03:29at the time of the morning watch, Saul gave the signal.
03:32Attack!
03:32The three groups of Israelite soldiers charged into the Ammonite camp from different directions.
03:38The enemy was completely surprised.
03:40They were still sleepy and weren't ready for a fight.
03:44It was total chaos for them.
03:46Saul's plan was working perfectly.
03:48The battle was fierce.
03:49But the Israelites, filled with courage and fighting for their friends, were winning.
03:54The victory was huge.
03:56The Ammonite army was completely defeated.
03:58The people of Javishgali were saved, just as Saul had promised.
04:03Everyone celebrated.
04:04This incredible victory did something really important.
04:08It showed all of Israel that Saul was the right choice for a king.
04:11He wasn't just a tall farmer anymore.
04:14He was a powerful, decisive leader who could protect them.
04:17He had God's favor and help.
04:20After the battle, all the people went to a place called Gilgal.
04:24There, they had a big ceremony to officially, publicly confirm that Saul was their king.
04:29They offered sacrifices and thanked God for the amazing victory.
04:33Everyone was cheering for King Saul.
04:36His authority was now solid.
04:38And the whole nation looked up to him as their leader.
04:41This event was a turning point, marking the real beginning of the kingdom of Israel.
04:45But the story doesn't end there.
04:47It shows us something beautiful about loyalty and gratitude.
04:51Many years later, after a long reign, King Saul died in a different battle.
04:56It was a sad day.
04:57But the brave men of Javishgali never forgot what Saul had done for them.
05:02They remembered how he had rescued their city when no one else would.
05:06So, they traveled all night on a dangerous journey to get the bodies of Saul and his sons.
05:12They brought them back to Javishgali and gave them a proper, respectful burial.
05:18They showed incredible loyalty and gratitude to the king who had saved them so long ago.
05:23It was a way of saying thank you and honoring his memory.
05:27Later, when David became the next king,
05:29he heard about what the men of Javishgali had done.
05:33He was so impressed by their loyalty and courage.
05:36He sent them a message, blessing them for their kindness to Saul.
05:40It just goes to show that doing the right thing, being brave,
05:43and showing gratitude are qualities that even kings admire.
05:47So, what can we learn from this awesome story?
05:50We learn that true leadership means stepping up to help others in need.
05:54We see how unity, when people come together as a team, can achieve amazing things.
06:00And we learn about the importance of loyalty and being grateful to those who help us.
06:05The story of Saul and Javishgali is a powerful reminder that with courage and faith,
06:11even the scariest situations can be overcome.
06:14Thanks so much for joining me for this incredible adventure today.
06:17I hope you had as much fun as I did.
06:20Remember to be brave, be a good friend, and always work together.
06:25Don't forget to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more amazing stories.
06:30See you next time, and God bless.
