1 A nd 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.'

Then Nahash the Ammonite came and his soldiers set up their tents around Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make an agreement with us, and we will work for you.”

2 A nd 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.'

But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make an agreement with you only if I may cut out the right eye of every one of you. This way I will put all Israel to shame.”

3 A nd 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.'

The leaders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, so we may send men with news through the land of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.”

4 A nd 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;

The men came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news to the people. And all the people cried with a loud voice.

5 a nd 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.

Now Saul was coming from the field behind the cattle, and he said, “What troubles the people? Why are they crying?” So they told him the news the men had brought from Jabesh.

6 A nd the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly,

The Spirit of God came upon Saul with power when he heard this news, and he became very angry.

7 a nd 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.

He took two bulls and cut them in pieces and sent them through the land of Israel with the men who had brought the news, saying, “This will be done to the bulls of those who will not come out after Saul and Samuel.” The fear of the Lord came upon the people, and they all came out together.

8 A nd he inspecteth them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

Saul numbered them at Bezek. There were 300, 000 men of Israel, and 30, 000 men of Judah.

9 A nd 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;

They said to the men who had brought the news, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead that tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have help.” So the men went and told the news to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

10 a nd the men of Jabesh say, `To-morrow we come out unto you, and ye have done to us according to all that good in your eyes.'

Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you. And you may do to us whatever you think is good.”

11 A nd 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.

The next morning, Saul put the people in three groups. They came among the tents early in the morning and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who were left alive were divided, so that no two of them stayed together.

12 A nd 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.'

Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Should Saul rule over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.”

13 A nd Saul saith, `There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.'

But Saul said, “No man will be put to death this day. For today the Lord has saved Israel.”

14 A nd Samuel saith unto the people, `Come and we go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there;'

Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and make it the place for the king.”

15 a nd 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.

So all the people went to Gilgal. There they made Saul king before the Lord, in Gilgal. There they gave peace gifts to the Lord. And there Saul and all the men of Israel were filled with much joy.