Kings I 11

1 And it came to pass about a month after this, that Naas the Ammanite went up, and encamped against Jabis Galaad: and all the men of Jabis said to Naas the Ammanite, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.

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 Naas the Ammanite said to them, On these terms will I make a covenant with you, that I should put out all your right eyes, and I will lay a reproach upon Israel.

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 And the men of Jabis say to him, Allow us seven days, and we will send messengers into all the coasts of Israel: if there should be no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.

“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 And the messengers came to Gabaa to Saul, and they speak the words into the ears of the people; and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

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

5 And, behold, Saul came after the early morning out of the field: and Saul said, Why does the people week? and they tell him the words of the men of Jabis.

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 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled against them.

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

7 And he took two cows, and cut them in pieces, and sent them into all the coasts of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoso comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall they do to his oxen: and a transport from the Lord came upon the people of Israel, and they came out to battle as one man.

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 And he reviews them at Bezec in Bama, every man of Israel six hundred thousand, and the men of Juda seventy thousand.

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

9 And he said to the messengers that came, Thus shall you say to the men of Jabis, To-morrow you shall have deliverance when the sun is hot; and the messengers came to the city, and told the men of Jabis, and they rejoiced.

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 And the men of Jabis said to Naas the Ammanite, To-morrow we will come forth to you, and you shall do to us what seems good in your sight.

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

11 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Saul divided the people into three companies, and they go into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and they struck the children of Ammon until the day was hot; at it came to pass that those who were left were scattered, and there were not left among them two together.

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 And the people said to Samuel, Who has said that Saul shall not reign over us? Give up the men, and we will put them to death.

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 And Saul said, No man shall die this day, for today the Lord has wrought deliverance in Israel.

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

14 And Samuel spoke to the people, saying, Let us go to Galgala, and there renew the kingdom.

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

15 And all the people went to Galgala, and Samuel anointed Saul there to be king before the Lord in Galgala, and there he offered meat-offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord: and Samuel and all Israel rejoiced exceedingly.

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.