I Samuelis 11
1 Et factum est quasi post mensem, ascendit Naas Ammonites, et pugnare cœpit adversum Iabes Galaad. Dixeruntque omnes viri Iabes ad Naas: Habeto nos fœderatos, et serviemus tibi.
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 Et respondit ad eos Naas Ammonites: In hoc feriam vobiscum fœdus, ut eruam omnium vestrum oculos dextros, ponamque vos opprobrium in universo 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 Et dixerunt ad eum seniores Iabes: Concede nobis septem dies, ut mittamus nuncios ad universos terminos Israel: et si non fuerit qui defendat nos, egrediemur ad te.
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 Venerunt ergo nuncii in Gabaa Saulis: et locuti sunt verba hæc, audiente populo: et levavit omnis populus vocem suam, et flevit.
[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 Et ecce Saul veniebat, sequens boves de agro, et ait: Quid habet populus quod plorat? Et narraverunt ei verba virorum Iabes.
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 Et insilivit Spiritus Domini in Saul, cum audisset verba hæc, et iratus est furor eius nimis.
Then God’s Spirit came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry [because of what Nahash wanted to do].
7 Et assumens utrumque bovem, concidit in frustra, misitque in omnes terminos Israel per manum nunciorum, dicens: Quicumque non exierit, et secutus fuerit Saul et Samuel, sic fiet bobus eius. Invasit ergo timor Domini populum, et egressi sunt quasi vir unus.
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 Et recensuit eos in Bezech: fueruntque filiorum Israel trecenta millia: virorum autem Iuda triginta millia.
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 Et dixerunt nunciis qui venerant: Sic dicetis viris, qui sunt in Iabes Galaad: Cras erit vobis salus, cum incaluerit sol. Venerunt ergo nuncii, et annunciaverunt viris Iabes: qui lætati sunt.
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 Et dixerunt: Mane exibimus ad vos: et facietis nobis omne quod placuerit vobis.
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 Et factum est, cum dies crastinus venisset, constituit Saul populum in tres partes: et ingressus est media castra in vigilia matutina, et percussit Ammon usque dum incalesceret dies: reliqui autem dispersi sunt, ita ut non relinquerentur in eis duo pariter.
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 Et ait populus ad Samuelem: Quis est iste qui dixit: Saul num regnabit super nos? Date viros, et interficiemus eos.
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 Et ait Saul: Non occidetur quisquam in die hac, quia hodie fecit Dominus salutem 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 Dixit autem Samuel ad populum: Venite, et eamus in Galgala, et innovemus ibi regnum.
Then Samuel said to the people, “Let’s all go to Gilgal, and there we will again proclaim [that Saul is] our king.”
15 Et perrexit omnis populus in Galgala, et fecerunt ibi regem Saul coram Domino in Galgala, et immolaverunt ibi victimas pacificas coram Domino. Et lætatus est ibi Saul, et cuncti viri Israel nimis.
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.
