Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 2And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. 4Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. 11And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. 13And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
14Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.” 2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven day, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.” 4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, “What ails the people that they weep?” They told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 They said to the messengers who came, “Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’” The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.” 11 It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12 The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!” 13 Saul said, “There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.” 15 All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1 Soon Nahash a the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty b with us, and we will serve you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition, that I may put out everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.”
3 “Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh, “and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”
4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.
5 Just then Saul was returning from the field, behind his oxen. “What troubles the people?” asked Saul. “Why are they weeping?” And they relayed to him the words of the men from Jabesh.
6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel.”
Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they turned out as one man. 8 And when Saul numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 c men of Judah. 9 So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’ ”
And when the messengers relayed this to the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.
10 Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you.”
11 The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions, and during the morning watch they invaded the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them, until the hottest part of the day. And the survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Bring those men here so we can kill them!”
13 But Saul ordered, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.”
15 So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.
Footnotes:
1 a DSS and LXX About a month later Nahash
1 b Forms of the Hebrew berit are translated in most passages as covenant .
8 c DSS and LXX 70,000
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1And Nahash the Ammonite cometh up, and encampeth against Jabesh-Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh say unto Nahash, 'Make with us a covenant, and we serve thee.' 2And Nahash the Ammonite saith unto them, 'For this I covenant with you, by picking out to you every right eye -- and I have put it a reproach on all Israel.' 3And the elders of Jabesh say to him, 'Let us alone seven days, and we send messengers into all the border of Israel: and if there is none saving us -- then we have come out unto thee.' 4And the messengers come to Gibeah of Saul, and speak the words in the ears of the people, and all the people lift up their voice and weep;
5and lo, Saul hath come after the herd out of the field, and Saul saith, 'What -- to the people, that they weep?' and they recount to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly, 7and he taketh a couple of oxen, and cutteth them in pieces, and sendeth through all the border of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, 'He who is not coming out after Saul and after Samuel -- thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth on the people, and they come out as one man. 8And he inspecteth them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9And they say to the messengers who are coming, 'Thus do ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye have safety -- by the heat of the sun;' and the messengers come and declare to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoice; 10and the men of Jabesh say to the Ammonites, 'To-morrow we come out unto you, and ye have done to us according to all that is good in your eyes.' 11And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Saul putteth the people in three detachments, and they come into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch, and smite Ammon till the heat of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered, and there have not been left of them two together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12And the people say unto Samuel, 'Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.' 13And Saul saith, 'There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.'
14And Samuel saith unto the people, 'Come and we go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there;' 15and all the people go to Gilgal, and cause Saul to reign there before Jehovah in Gilgal, and sacrifice there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul rejoiceth -- and all the men of Israel -- very greatly.
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