Three hundred and thirty thousand men gathered on the plain of Bezek, under the command of Saul. Messengers were 613 immediately sent to the besieged city with the assurance that they might expect help on the morrow, the very day on which they were to submit to the Ammonites. By a rapid night march Saul and his army crossed the Jordan and arrived before Jabesh in "the morning watch." Like Gideon, dividing his force into three companies, he fell upon the Ammonite camp at that early hour, when, not suspecting danger, they were least secure. In the panic that followed they were routed with great slaughter. And "they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together."

330.000 mand samledes på Bezeksletten under Sauls kommando. Der blev omgående sendt folk til den belejrede by med den meddelelse, at indbyggerne kunne vente hjælp dagen efter - netop da de skulle overgive sig til ammonitterne. Saul og hans hær satte i ilmarch over Jordan i nattens løb og ankom til Jabesj ved "morgenvagten". Han delte sin hær i tre afdelinger, ligesom Gideon havde gjort, og kastede sig over ammonitternes lejr i den tidlige morgenstund, hvor de intetanende fjender var mindst forberedt til slag. Der opstod panik i deres lejr, og de blev fuldstændig slået. "De, som undslap, splittedes til alle sider, så ikke to og to blev sammen."