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1 Samuel 11
New Living Translation
1 Samuel 11
New Living Translation
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
11 About a month later,[a] King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.
2 “All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!”
3 “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”
4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears. 5 Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh.
6 Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. 7 He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 8 When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000[b] men from Judah.
9 So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!
10 The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” 11 But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13 But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” 15 So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy.
1 Samuel 11
International Standard Version
1 Samuel 11
International Standard Version
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
11 So after a month,[a] Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to[b] Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh told Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”
2 Nahash the Ammonite told them, “I’ll make a covenant with you on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”
3 The elders of Jabesh told him, “Leave us alone for seven days so that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then if no one delivers us, we will come out to you and surrender.”[c] 4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported the terms to the people,[d] all the people cried loudly.[e]
5 Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind the oxen and he said, “What’s with the people? Why are they crying?” They reported to him what the men of Jabesh had said.[f]
6 When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God came on him, and he was very angry. 7 He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent the pieces[g] by messengers through all the territory of Israel: “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not come out and join[h] Saul and Samuel!” The fear of the Lord fell on the people and they came out as one man.
8 Saul[i] mustered them at Bezek, and there were 300,000 Israelis and 30,000 men of Judah. 9 They told the messengers who had come, “You are to say this to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be delivered.’” The messengers went and reported to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.
10 The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you and surrender.[j] Then you can do whatever you want to us.”
11 The next day Saul separated the people into three companies. They came into the camp during 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 remained together.
12 The people told Samuel, “Who said, ‘Will Saul reign over us?’ Bring them to us[k] and we will put them to death!”
13 But Saul said, “Let no one be put to death this day, because today the Lord has delivered Israel.”
14 Then Samuel told the people, “Come, let’s go to Gilgal and reaffirm the kingship there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul king in the Lord’s presence in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings in the Lord’s presence, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 11:1 So LXX and DSS 4QSama; the Heb. lacks after a month
- 1 Samuel 11:1 Lit. camped against
- 1 Samuel 11:3 The Heb. lacks and surrender
- 1 Samuel 11:4 Lit. in the ears of the people
- 1 Samuel 11:4 Lit. lifted their voices and wept
- 1 Samuel 11:5 Lit. the words of the men of Jabesh
- 1 Samuel 11:7 Lit. sent
- 1 Samuel 11:7 Lit. out after
- 1 Samuel 11:8 Lit. He
- 1 Samuel 11:10 The Heb. lacks and surrender
- 1 Samuel 11:12 Lit. Give the men
1 Samuel 11
New International Version
1 Samuel 11
New International Version
Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh
11 Nahash[a](A) the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead.(B) And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty(C) with us, and we will be subject to you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition(D) that I gouge(E) out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace(F) on all Israel.”
3 The elders(G) of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue(H) us, we will surrender(I) to you.”
4 When the messengers came to Gibeah(J) of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept(K) aloud. 5 Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit(L) of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen,(M) cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel,(N) proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone(O) who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.(P) 8 When Saul mustered(Q) them at Bezek,(R) the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.
9 They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. 10 They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender(S) to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”
11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions;(T) during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites(U) and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who(V) was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”
13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today,(W) for this day the Lord has rescued(X) Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal(Y) and there renew the kingship.(Z)” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal(AA) and made Saul king(AB) in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 11:1 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls gifts. Now Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely. He gouged out all their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out by Nahash king of the Ammonites, except that seven thousand men fled from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh Gilead. About a month later, 1 Nahash
New Living Translation (NLT)
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International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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