撒母耳記上 11
1 大約過了一個月，阿孟人納哈士上來圍困基肋阿得的雅貝士，雅貝士所有的居民對納哈士說：「你與我們立約，我們就服事你。」
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”
2 阿孟人納哈士回答他們說：「在這條件下，我纔與你們立約：就是剜出你們各人的右眼，我要藉此羞辱全以色列。」
Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out. I will make this dishonour all Israel.”
3 雅貝士的長老回答他說：「請讓我們休戰七天，我們派人到以色列全境去，如果沒有人來救我們，我們就向你投降。
The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”
4 使者到了撒烏耳的基貝亞，就把這事講給民眾聽，民眾遂放聲大哭。
Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people, then all the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5 那時撒烏耳正跟著牛從田間回來，便問說：「民眾有什麼事，如此號淘大哭﹖」人們就把雅貝士人的話講給他聽。
Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, “What ails the people that they weep?” They told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 撒烏耳一聽說這些話，上主的神便降在他身上，遂勃然大怒，
God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burnt hot.
7 立即牽了一對牛來，剖分成塊，託使者分送到以色列全境說：「凡不隨從撒烏耳如撒慕爾出征的，也必這樣對待他的牛! 」上主的驚嚇降在民眾身上，因而他們好像一個人一齊出征。
He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, then sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever doesn’t come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
8 撒烏耳在貝則克檢閱了他們；以色列人共三十萬，猶大人三萬。
He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 撒烏耳對來的使者說：「你們這樣對基肋阿得的雅貝士人說：明天太陽正熱時，救援就必達到你們那裏。」使者便回去，向雅貝士人報告，他們都很喜歡。
They said to the messengers who came, “Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.’” The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 雅貝士人遂對阿孟人說：「明天我們向你們投降，你們看著怎樣好，就怎樣對待我們罷!
Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.”
11 第二天撒烏耳把民眾分作三隊，在黎明以前衝入了阿孟人營中，擊殺他們一直到日中最熱的時候；剩下的人都逃散了，以至沒有兩人在一起。
On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 民眾於是對撒慕爾說：「誰曾說過：撒烏耳豈能作我們的君王﹖把這些人交出來，讓我們處死他們! 」
The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”
13 撒烏耳回答說：「今天不可處死任何人，因為今天上主在以色列中施行了救恩。」
Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel.”
14 撒慕爾以後對民眾說：「來，我們到基耳加耳去，在那裏重新建立王國。」
Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”
15 民眾便都去了基耳加耳，在那裏於上主面前立撒烏耳為王，並給上主奉獻了和平祭；撒烏耳同全體以色列人舉行了盛大的盛會。
All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
