扫罗打败亚扪人

11 亚扪人拿辖率军上来围困基列·雅比,城内的居民对拿辖说:“你与我们立约吧!我们愿意服从你。” 亚扪人拿辖说:“好,但有一个条件,我要挖去你们每一个人的右眼作为对全体以色列人的羞辱。” 雅比的长老说:“请宽限我们七天,我们好派遣使者去以色列全境。要是没有人来营救我们,我们就向你投降。” 雅比的使者来到扫罗的家乡基比亚,把他们的情况告诉众人,大家听了放声大哭。 那时扫罗刚好赶着牛从田间回来,便问道:“发生了什么事?为什么大家都在哭?”百姓把雅比的情况告诉了他。 扫罗听后,上帝的灵降在他身上,他勃然大怒, 牵来两头牛,把它们切成碎块,然后派使者把碎块分发到以色列全境,并且宣布:“谁拒绝跟随扫罗和撒母耳出战,他的牛就要被砍成这样。”上帝使百姓充满恐惧,他们都同心合意地响应。 扫罗在比色统计以色列人,共有三十万,从犹大来的有三万。 他们让雅比的使者回去告诉基列·雅比人,说:“明天中午,你们必得拯救。”使者回去告诉雅比人,他们非常欢喜, 10 便对亚扪人说:“明天我们会出来归顺你们,你们怎样对待我们都可以。” 11 第二天,扫罗把以色列人分成三队,在黎明时分突袭亚扪人的军营,把他们杀得大败,直到中午才收兵。亚扪人的残兵四散奔逃。

12 以色列人对撒母耳说:“是谁说扫罗不该做王?把他们带来,我们要处死他们。” 13 扫罗却说:“今天不可杀人,因为今天耶和华拯救了以色列。” 14 撒母耳对民众说:“来吧,我们到吉甲去,在那里重新立国。” 15 于是,他们来到吉甲,在耶和华面前立扫罗为王,又向耶和华献上平安祭。扫罗和全体以色列人都非常欢喜。

11 1 Nahash the Ammonite warreth against Jabesh Gilead, who asketh help of the Israelites. 6 Saul promiseth help. 11 The Ammonites are slain. 14 The kingdom is renewed.

Then Nahash the Ammonite [a]came up, and besieged Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will be thy servants.

And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your [b]right eyes, and bring that shame upon all Israel.

To whom the Elders of Jabesh said, Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then if no man deliver us, we will come out to thee.

¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told these tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lift up their voices and wept.

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

Then the Spirit of God [c]came upon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and he was exceeding angry,

And 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 [d]Samuel, so shall his oxen be served. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out [e]with one consent.

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

Then [f]they said unto the messengers that came, So say unto the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow by then the Sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh, which were glad.

10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out unto [g]you, and ye shall do with us all that pleaseth you.

11 ¶ And when the morrow was come, Saul put the people in three bands, and they came in upon the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and they that remained, were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

12 Then the people said unto Samuel, [h]Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring those men that we may slay them.

13 But Saul said, There shall no man [i]die this day: for today the Lord hath saved Israel.

14 ¶ Then said Samuel unto the people, Come, that we may go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul King there before the Lord in Gilgal: and there they offered [j]peace offerings before the Lord: and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 11:1 After that Saul was chosen king: for fear of whom they asked a king, as 1 Sam. 12:12.
  2. 1 Samuel 11:2 This declareth that the more near the tyrants are to their destruction, the more cruel they are.
  3. 1 Samuel 11:6 God gave him the spirit of strength and courage to go against this tyrant.
  4. 1 Samuel 11:7 He addeth Samuel because Saul was not yet approved of all.
  5. 1 Samuel 11:7 Hebrew, as one man.
  6. 1 Samuel 11:9 Meaning, Saul and Samuel.
  7. 1 Samuel 11:10 That is, to the Ammonites, dissembling that they had hope of aid.
  8. 1 Samuel 11:12 By this victory the Lord won the hearts of the people to Saul.
  9. 1 Samuel 11:13 By showing mercy he thought to overcome their malice.
  10. 1 Samuel 11:15 In sign of thanksgiving for the victory.