1 Samuel 11
1 Soon Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon [led his army across the Jordan River, and they] surrounded Jabesh [city] in [the] Gilead [region]. But all the men of Jabesh [went and] said to Nahash, “Make an agreement/treaty with us [not to kill us], and then we will let you rule us.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition, that I may put out everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.”
Nahash replied, “I will do that if you do one thing. Allow us to gouge out all the right eyes of your people. By doing that we will cause the people [in other countries] to despise all you Israeli people.”
3 “Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh, “and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”
The leaders of Jabesh replied, “Do not attack us for the next seven days. During that time, we will send messengers throughout Israel [to tell them what you are demanding]. If no one will help us, then we will (surrender to you/allow you to do to us whatever you want).”
4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.
[Being very confident that his army was very superior, Nahash agreed. So the leaders of Jabesh sent messengers throughout Israel]. When the messengers came to Gibeah, which was [the city] where Saul lived, and they told the people there about the situation, everyone started to cry.
5 Just then Saul was returning from the field, behind his oxen. “What troubles the people?” asked Saul. “Why are they weeping?” And they relayed to him the words of the men from Jabesh.
At that time, Saul was plowing in the field. When he returned home, he asked, “Why are all the people [crying]?” So they told him what the messengers from Jabesh had reported.
6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger.
Then God’s Spirit came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry [because of what Nahash wanted to do].
7 He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they turned out as one man.
He took two of his oxen [and killed them] and cut them into pieces. Then he sent messengers [carrying those pieces] throughout Israel to tell people this message: “Saul says that [he cut this ox in pieces, and that he] will do the same thing to the oxen of anyone who refuses to come with him and Samuel to fight [the army from Ammon]!” Then Yahweh caused all the people of Israel to be afraid of what Saul might do to them (OR, of what Yahweh might do to them) [if they did not go and help Saul]. So the men all gathered together.
8 And when Saul numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 men of Judah.
When Saul gave them all weapons at Bezek, he saw that there were 300,000 Israeli men there, as well as 30,000 men from the tribe of Judah.
9 So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” And when the messengers relayed this to the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.
So Saul sent messengers back to the people at Jabesh to tell them, “We will rescue/save you by noontime tomorrow.” When the people of Jabesh heard that message, they were very joyful/happy.
10 Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you.”
Then the men of Jabesh told [Nahash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and then you can do to us whatever you want to.”
11 The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions, and during the morning watch they invaded the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them, until the hottest part of the day. And the survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
But before the sun rose the next morning, Saul [and his army arrived. He] divided them into three groups. They rushed into the camp of the soldiers from Ammon, and attacked them. By noontime they had killed most of them, and those who were not killed scattered. Each of them who ran away ran away alone.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Bring those men here so we can kill them!”
Then the people [of Jabesh] said to Samuel, “Where are those men who said that they did not want Saul to be our king? Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13 But Saul ordered, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.”
But Saul replied, “[No], we are not going to execute anyone today, because this is the day that Yahweh has saved us Israeli people. [It is a day to rejoice, not to kill anyone].”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.”
Then Samuel said to the people, “Let’s all go to Gilgal, and there we will again proclaim [that Saul is] our king.”
15 So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.
So they went to Gilgal. There, knowing that Yahweh was watching, they proclaimed that Saul was their king. Then they offered sacrifices to enable them to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. And Saul and all the other Israeli people were very happy.
