1 Samuel 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite marched up and laid siege to Jabesh in Gilead. Al themen of Jabesh said to Nahash, 'Make a treaty with us and we wil be your subjects.'	1 About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh begged Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we will be your subjects."
2 Nahash the Ammonite replied, 'I shal make a treaty with you only on this condition, that I put out alyour right eyes, and I wil make it a taunt to the whole of Israel.'	2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, "This is my condition for a treaty with you: I must gouge out every man's right eye, that I may thus bring ignominy on all Israel."
3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, 'Give us seven days' grace while we send messengers throughoutthe territory of Israel, and if no one comes to our help, we wil come out to you.'	3 The elders of Jabesh said to him: "Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one rescues us, we will surrender to you."
4 The messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and reported this to the people, and al the people weptaloud.	4 When the messengers arrived at Gibeah of Saul, they related the news to the people, all of whom wept aloud.
5 Now Saul was just then coming in from the fields behind his oxen, and he said, 'What is wrong? Whyare the people weeping?' They explained to him what the men of Jabesh had said.	5 Just then Saul came in from the field, behind his oxen. "Why are the people weeping?" he asked. The message of the inhabitants of Jabesh was repeated to him.
6 And the spirit of Yahweh seized on Saul when he heard these words, and he fel into a fury.	6 As he listened to this report, the spirit of God rushed upon him and he became very angry.
7 He took a yoke of oxen, cut them into pieces and sent these by messengers throughout the territory ofIsrael with these words, 'Anyone who wil not march with Saul wil have the same done to his oxen!' At this, apanic from Yahweh swept on the people and they marched out as one man.	7 Taking a yoke of oxen, he cut them into pieces, which he sent throughout the territory of Israel by couriers with the message, "If anyone does not come out to follow Saul (and Samuel), the same as this will be done to his oxen!" In dread of the LORD, the people turned out to a man.
8 Saul inspected them at Bezek; there were three hundred thousand of Israel and thirty thousand ofJudah.	8 When he reviewed them in Bezek, there were three hundred thousand Israelites and seventy thousand Judahites.
9 Then he said to the messengers who had come, 'This is what you are to say to the people of Jabeshin Gilead, "Tomorrow, by the time that the sun is hot, help wil reach you." ' The messengers went and reportedthis to the people of Jabesh who were overjoyed;	9 To the messengers who had come he said, "Tell the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead that tomorrow, while the sun is hot, they will be rescued." The messengers came and reported this to the inhabitants of Jabesh, who were jubilant,
10 they said to Nahash, 'Tomorrow we shal come out to you and you can do whatever you like to us.'	10 and said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you may do whatever you please with us."
11 The next day, Saul disposed the army in three contingents, which burst into the middle of the campduring the dawn watch and slaughtered the Ammonites until high noon. The survivors were so scattered that notwo of them were left together.	11 On the appointed day, Saul arranged his troops in three companies and invaded the camp during the dawn watch. They slaughtered Ammonites until the heat of the day; by then the survivors were so scattered that no two were left together.
12 The people then said to Samuel, 'Who said, "Must we have Saul reigning over us?" Hand the menover, for us to put them to death.'	12 The people then said to Samuel: "Who questioned whether Saul should rule over us? Hand over the men and we will put them to death."
13 'No one must be put to death today,' Saul said, 'for today Yahweh has intervened to rescue Israel.'	13 But Saul broke in to say, "No man is to be put to death this day, for today the LORD has saved Israel."
14 Samuel then said to the people, 'Let us now go to Gilgal and reaffirm the monarchy there.'	14 Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal to inaugurate the kingdom there."
15 The people then al went to Gilgal. And there, at Gilgal, they proclaimed Saul king before Yahweh;they offered communion sacrifices before Yahweh, and there Saul and al the people of Israel gave themselvesover to great rejoicing.	15 So all the people went to Gilgal, where, in the presence of the LORD, they made Saul king. They also sacrificed peace offerings there before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites celebrated the occasion with great joy.