1 Samuel 11
New American Standard Bible
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
11 Now (A)Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged (B)Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make (C)a covenant with us and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, (D)that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, and thereby I will inflict (E)a disgrace on all Israel.” 3 So (F)the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Allow us seven days to 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)raised their voices and wept.
5 Now behold, Saul was coming from the field (I)behind the oxen, and Saul said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they reported to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then (J)the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and [a]he became very angry. 7 He then took a yoke 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, the same shall be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out (M)as one person. 8 He [b]counted them in (N)Bezek; and the (O)sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah, thirty thousand. 9 They said to the messengers who had come, “This is what you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be saved.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they rejoiced. 10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “(P)Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good [c]to you.” 11 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 and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived 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?’ [d](S)Bring the men, so that we may put them to death!” 13 But Saul said, “(T)Not a single person shall be put to death this day, for today (U)the Lord has brought about [e]victory 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 the Lord in Gilgal. There they also (Y)offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 11:6 Lit his anger burned exceedingly
- 1 Samuel 11:8 Lit mustered
- 1 Samuel 11:10 Lit in your sight
- 1 Samuel 11:12 Lit Give
- 1 Samuel 11:13 Or deliverance in
1 Samuel 11
American Standard Version
11 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 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 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 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 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 And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 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 [a]the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 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 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 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 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 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah hath wrought [b]deliverance in Israel.
14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 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.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 11:7 Or, a terror from Jehovah
- 1 Samuel 11:13 Hebrew salvation.
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