1 Samuel 11

1 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.”

Then Nahash the Ammonite came vp, and besieged Iabesh Gilead: and all the men of Iabesh saide vnto Nahash, Make a couenant with vs, and we will be thy seruants.

2 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.”

And Nahash ye Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a couenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eies, and bring that shame vpon all Israel.

3 “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.”

To whome the Elders of Iabesh said, Giue vs seuen daies respet, that we may sende messengers vnto all the coastes of Israel: and then if no man deliuer vs, we will come out to thee.

4 When the messengers arrived in Gibeah of Saul and gave the message as the people listened, they all wept out loud.

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and tolde these tidings in the eares of the people: and all the people lift vp their voices and wept.

5 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.

And behold, Saul came following the cattell out of the fielde, and Saul saide, What aileth this people, that they weepe? And they tolde him the tidings of the men of Iabesh.

6 The Spirit of God came on Saul in power when he heard about this, and he grew very angry.

Then the Spirit of God came vpon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and he was exceeding angrie,

7 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.

And tooke a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coastes of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoeuer commeth not foorth after Saul, and after Samuel, so shall his oxen be serued. And the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

8 When Saul counted them at Bezek, there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.

And when he nombred them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundreth thousande men: and the men of Iudah thirtie thousand.

9 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.

Then they saide vnto the messengers that came, So say vnto the men of Iabesh Gilead, To morowe by then the sunne be hote, ye shall haue helpe. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Iabesh, which were glad.

10 They told the Ammonites, “We will surrender to you tomorrow, and then you can do to us whatever you want.”

Therefore the men of Iabesh sayde, To morowe we will come out vnto you, and yee shall doe with vs all that pleaseth you.

11 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.

And when the morowe was come, Saul put the people in three bandes, and they came in vpon the hoste in the morning watche, and slewe the Ammonites vntill the heate of the day: and they that remained, were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

12 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.”

Then the people said vnto Samuel, Who is he that saide, Shall Saul reigne ouer vs? bring those men that we may slaie them.

13 But Saul replied, “No one's going to be executed today, for this is the day that the Lord saved Israel.”

But Saul said, There shall no man die this day: for to day the Lord hath saued Israel.

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come with me—let's go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom.”

Then saide Samuel vnto ye people, Come, that we may goe to Gilgal, and renue the kingdome there.

15 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.

So all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul King there before the Lord in Gilgal: and there they offered peace offerings before the Lord: and there Saul and all the men of Israel reioyced exceedingly.