1 E ntão subiu Naás, o amonita, e sitiou a Jabes-Gileade. E disseram todos os homens de Jabes a Naás: Faze aliança conosco, e te serviremos.

Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

2 R espondeu-lhes, porém, Naás, o amonita: Com esta condição farei aliança convosco: que a todos vos arranque o olho direito; assim porei opróbrio sobre todo o Israel.

And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

3 A o que os anciãos de Jabes lhe disseram: Concede-nos sete dias, para que enviemos mensageiros por todo o território de Israel; e, não havendo ninguém que nos livre, entregar-nos-emos a ti.

And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.

4 E ntão, vindo os mensageiros a Gibeá de Saul, falaram estas palavras aos ouvidos do povo. Pelo que todo o povo levantou a voz e chorou.

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 E eis que Saul vinha do campo, atrás dos bois; e disse Saul: Que tem o povo, que chega? E contaram-lhe as palavras dos homens de Jabes.

And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

6 E ntão o Espírito de Deus se apoderou de Saul, ao ouvir ele estas palavras; e acendeu-se sobremaneira a sua ira.

And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

7 T omou ele uma junta de bois, cortou-os em pedaços, e os enviou por todo o território de Israel por mãos de mensageiros, dizendo: Qualquer que não sair após Saul e após Samuel, assim se fará aos seus bois. Então caiu o temor do Senhor sobre o povo, e acudiram como um só homem.

And 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, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

8 S aul passou-lhes revista em Bezeque; e havia dos homens de Israel trezentos mil, e dos homens de Judá trinta mil.

And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

9 E ntão disseram aos mensageiros que tinham vindo: Assim direis aos homens de Jabes-Gileade: Amanhã, em aquentando o sol, vos virá livramento. Vindo, pois, os mensageiros, anunciaram-no aos homens de Jabes, os quais se alegraram.

And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

10 E os homens de Jabes disseram aos amonitas: Amanhã nos entregaremos a vós; então nos fareis conforme tudo o que bem vos parecer.

Therefore 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.

11 A o outro dia Saul dividiu o povo em três companhias; e pela vigília da manhã vieram ao meio do arraial, e feriram aos amonitas até que o dia aquentou; e sucedeu que os restantes se espalharam de modo a não ficarem dois juntos.

And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left together.

12 E ntão disse o povo a Samuel: Quais são os que diziam: Reinará porventura Saul sobre nós? Dai cá esses homens, para que os matemos.

And 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.

13 S aul, porém, disse: Hoje não se há de matar ninguém, porque neste dia o senhor operou um livramento em Israel:

And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah hath wrought deliverance in Israel.

14 D epois disse Samuel ao povo: Vinde, vamos a Gilgal, e renovemos ali o reino.

Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

15 F oram, pois, para Gilgal, onde constituíram rei a Saul perante o Senhor, e imolaram sacrifícios de ofertas pacíficas perante o Senhor; e ali Saul se alegrou muito com todos os homens de Israel.

And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.