I Samuelis 11
1 Et factum est quasi post mensem, ascendit Naas Ammonites, et pugnare coepit adversum Iabes Galaad. Dixeruntque omnes viri Iabes ad Naas: Habeto nos foederatos, et serviemus tibi.
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 Et respondit ad eos Naas Ammonites: In hoc feriam vobiscum foedus, ut eruam omnium vestrum oculos dextros, ponamque vos opprobrium in universo 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 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.
“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 Venerunt ergo nuncii in Gabaa Saulis: et locuti sunt verba haec, audiente populo: et levavit omnis populus vocem suam, et flevit.
When the messengers arrived in Gibeah of Saul and gave the message as the people listened, they all wept out loud.
5 Et ecce Saul veniebat, sequens boves de agro, et ait: Quid habet populus quod plorat? Et narraverunt ei verba virorum Iabes.
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 Et insilivit Spiritus Domini in Saul, cum audisset verba haec, et iratus est furor eius nimis.
The Spirit of God came on Saul in power when he heard about this, and he grew very angry.
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 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 Et recensuit eos in Bezech: fueruntque filiorum Israel trecenta millia: virorum autem Iuda triginta millia.
When Saul counted them at Bezek, there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from 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 laetati sunt.
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 Et dixerunt: Mane exibimus ad vos: et facietis nobis omne quod placuerit vobis.
They told the Ammonites, “We will surrender to you tomorrow, and then you can do to us whatever you want.”
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.
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 Et ait populus ad Samuelem: Quis est iste qui dixit: Saul num regnabit super nos? Date viros, et interficiemus eos.
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 Et ait Saul: Non occidetur quisquam in die hac, quia hodie fecit Dominus salutem in Israel.
But Saul replied, “No one's going to be executed today, for this is the day that the Lord saved Israel.”
14 Dixit autem Samuel ad populum: Venite, et eamus in Galgala, et innovemus ibi regnum.
Then Samuel said to the people, “Come with me—let's go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom.”
15 Et perrexit omnis populus in Galgala, et fecerunt ibi regem Saul coram Domino in Galgala, et immolaverunt ibi victimas pacificas coram Domino. Et laetatus est ibi Saul, et cuncti viri Israel nimis.
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.
