1 Samuel 11
Legacy Standard Bible
Saul Strikes Down the Ammonites
11 And (A)Nahash the Ammonite came up and [a]besieged (B)Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Cut (C)a covenant with us, and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will cut it with you on this condition, (D)that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it (E)a reproach on all Israel.” 3 (F)Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.” 4 Then the messengers came (G)to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people (H)lifted up their voices and wept.
5 Now behold, Saul was coming from the field (I)behind the oxen, and [b]he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then (J)the Spirit of God [c]came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and [d]he burned with anger exceedingly. 7 Then he took a pair of oxen and (K)cut them in pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “(L)Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out (M)as one man. 8 And he [e]numbered them in (N)Bezek; and the (O)sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 9 And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have salvation.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “(P)Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good in your eyes.” 11 Then the next morning Saul put the people (Q)in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “(R)Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ [f](S)Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “(T)Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today (U)Yahweh has accomplished salvation in Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to (V)Gilgal and (W)renew the kingdom there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king (X)before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they also (Y)offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were exceedingly glad.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 11:1 Lit camped against
- 1 Samuel 11:5 Lit Saul
- 1 Samuel 11:6 Lit succeeded, rushed upon
- 1 Samuel 11:6 Lit his anger burned exceedingly
- 1 Samuel 11:8 Lit mustered
- 1 Samuel 11:12 Lit Give
1 Samuel 11
Revised Standard Version
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
11 Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Ja′besh-gil′ead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus put disgrace upon all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” 4 When the messengers came to Gib′e-ah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people; and all the people wept aloud.
5 Now Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen; and Saul said, “What ails the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. 7 He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man. 8 When he mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Ja′besh-gil′ead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’” When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 And on the morrow Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and cut down the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has wrought deliverance in Israel.” 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
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