撒母耳記上 11
1 亞捫人的王拿轄上來，對着基列‧雅比安營。雅比眾人對拿轄說：「你與我們立約，我們就服事你。」
Nahash the Ammonite came with his army and besieged Jabesh-gilead. All the people of Jabesh said to him, “Make a peace treaty with us, and we will be your subjects.”
2 亞捫人拿轄說：「你們若由我剜出你們各人的右眼，以此凌辱以色列眾人，我就與你們立約。」
But Nahash the Ammonite responded, “I'll make a peace treaty with you on one condition: that I gouge out everyone's right eye to bring shame on all Israelites.”
3 雅比的長老對他說：「求你寬容我們七日，等我們打發人往以色列的全境去；若沒有人救我們，我們就出來歸順你。」
“Let us have seven days so we can send messengers all over Israel,” replied the town elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to help us, we will surrender to you.”
4 使者到了掃羅住的基比亞，將這話說給百姓聽，百姓就都放聲而哭。
When the messengers arrived in Gibeah of Saul and gave the message as the people listened, they all wept out loud.
5 掃羅正從田間趕牛回來，問說：「百姓為甚麼哭呢？」眾人將雅比人的話告訴他。
Right then Saul was coming back from ploughing a field with his oxen. “Why is everyone so upset?” he asked. They told him what the men from Jabesh had said.
6 掃羅聽見這話，就被上帝的靈大大感動，甚是發怒。
The Spirit of God came on Saul in power when he heard about this, and he grew very angry.
7 他將一對牛切成塊子，託付使者傳送以色列的全境，說：「凡不出來跟隨掃羅和撒母耳的，也必這樣切開他的牛。」於是耶和華使百姓懼怕，他們就都出來，如同一人。
He took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces. Then he sent them by messenger to every part of Israel with the message, “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” The Lord made the people anxious to do so, and they came out as one.
8 掃羅在比色數點他們：以色列人有三十萬，猶大人有三萬。
When Saul counted them at Bezek, there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.
9 眾人對那使者說：「你們要回覆基列‧雅比人說，明日太陽近午的時候，你們必得解救。」使者回去告訴雅比人，他們就歡喜了。
They said to the messengers who came, “Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow you'll be rescued, by the time the sun is hot.’” The people of Jabesh were so happy when the messengers arrived and told them this.
10 於是雅比人對亞捫人說：「明日我們出來歸順你們，你們可以隨意待我們。」
They told the Ammonites, “We will surrender to you tomorrow, and then you can do to us whatever you want.”
11 第二日，掃羅將百姓分為三隊，在晨更的時候入了亞捫人的營，擊殺他們直到太陽近午，剩下的人都逃散，沒有二人同在一處的。
The next day Saul organized the army into three divisions. They attacked the Ammonite camp before dawn and went on killing them until the day grew hot. The survivors were so scattered that not even two of them were left together.
12 百姓對撒母耳說：「那說『掃羅豈能管理我們』的是誰呢？可以將他交出來，我們好殺死他。」
Then the people asked Samuel, “Who was saying, ‘Why should we have Saul as our king?’ Hand these men over so we can execute them.”
13 掃羅說：「今日耶和華在以色列中施行拯救，所以不可殺人。」
But Saul replied, “No one's going to be executed today, for this is the day that the Lord saved Israel.”
14 撒母耳對百姓說：「我們要往吉甲去，在那裏立國。」
Then Samuel said to the people, “Come with me—let's go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom.”
15 眾百姓就到了吉甲那裏，在耶和華面前立掃羅為王，又在耶和華面前獻平安祭。掃羅和以色列眾人大大歡喜。
Everyone went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king before the Lord. They sacrificed friendship offerings to the Lord, and Saul together with all the Israelites had a great celebration.
