1 Samuel 11
1 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.”
Environ un mois plus tard, Naas l'Ammonite, s'étant mis en marche, campa vers Jabès-Galaad. Tous les hommes de Jabès-Galaad lui dirent alors: Fais avec nous alliance, et nous te servirons.
2 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.”
Mais Naas l'Ammonite leur dit: Je ferai alliance avec vous, à la condition de vous arracher à tous l'œil droit, et j'imposerai un opprobre à Israël.
3 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).”
Les hommes de Jabès lui dirent: Accorde-nous sept jours; nous dépêcherons des envoyés sur tout le territoire d'Israël, et, si personne ne vient nous sauver, nous nous rendrons à toi.
4 [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.
Et les messagers allèrent trouver Saül en Gabaa; ils répétèrent au peuple ces discours, et tout le peuple, élevant la voix, se prit à pleurer.
5 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.
Or, Saül à ce moment revenait des champs, après le matin, et il dit: Pourquoi le peuple pleure-t-il? On lui rapporta les paroles des hommes de Jabès.
6 Then God’s Spirit came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry [because of what Nahash wanted to do].
Lorsque Saül les eut entendues, l'Esprit du Seigneur s'élança sur lui, et, en son cœur, il se courrouça vivement contre l'Ammonite.
7 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.
Il prit deux vaches, et il les dépeça, et il envoya leurs membres sur tout le territoire d'Israël, par la main de messagers, disant: C'est ainsi que seront traités ceux qui ne marcheront pas avec Saül et avec Samuel. Un transport suscité par le Seigneur vint au peuple d'Israël, et il cria comme un seul homme.
8 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.
Et Saül les passa en revue à Bésech en Bama; il y avait d'Israël six cent mille hommes, et de Juda soixante-dix mille.
9 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.
Il dit alors aux messagers, qui étaient revenus: Portez ces paroles aux hommes de Jabès: A demain votre salut, au moment de la grande chaleur du soleil. Les messagers retournèrent à la ville, et racontèrent tout aux hommes de Jabès; ceux-ci en furent remplis de joie.
10 Then the men of Jabesh told [Nahash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and then you can do to us whatever you want to.”
Les hommes de Jabès dirent alors à Naas l'Ammonite: Demain, nous nous rendrons à vous, et vous nous traiterez comme bon vous semblera.
11 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.
Le lendemain, Saül divisa le peuple en trois corps; ils entrèrent dans le camp ennemi pendant la garde de l'aurore, et ils frappèrent les fils d'Ammon jusqu'à ce que le jour s'échauffât. Les survivants se dispersèrent, et il n'en resta pas deux ensemble.
12 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!”
Et le peuple dit à Samuel: Qui donc prétendait que Saül ne règnerait pas sur nous? Livre-nous-les ces hommes, et nous les mettrons à mort.
13 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].”
Mais Saül dit: Personne ne mourra en un jour où le Seigneur a sauvé Israël.
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Let’s all go to Gilgal, and there we will again proclaim [that Saul is] our king.”
Et Samuel dit au peuple: Allons à Galgala; nous inaugurerons en cette ville la royauté nouvelle.
15 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.
Tout le peuple se rendit à Galgala, et là, devant le Seigneur, Samuel sacra Saül comme roi; il y fit au Seigneur des sacrifices, et il y offrit des hosties pacifiques. Et Samuel et le peuple se réjouirent extrêmement.
