Saul Defeats the Ammonites

1  וַיַּ֗עַל (And came up) נָחָשׁ֙ (Nahash) הָֽעַמּוֹנִ֔י (the Ammonite), וַיִּ֖חַן (and encamped) עַל־ (against) יָבֵ֣שׁ (Jabesh-) גִּלְעָ֑ד (gilead). וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ (And said) כָּל־ (all) אַנְשֵׁ֤י (the men) יָבֵישׁ֙ (of Jabesh) אֶל־ (to) נָחָ֔שׁ (Nahash), כְּרָת־ (Make) לָ֥נוּ (with us) בְרִ֖ית (a covenant), וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃ (and we will serve you).

2  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And answered) אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם (to them) נָחָשׁ֙ (Nahash) הָעַמּוֹנִ֔י (the Ammonite), בְּזֹאת֙ (On this) אֶכְרֹ֣ת (I will cut) לָכֶ֔ם (with you⁺), בִּנְק֥וֹר (that I may put out) לָכֶ֖ם (of you⁺) כָּל־ (every) עֵ֣ין (eye) יָמִ֑ין (right), וְשַׂמְתִּ֥יהָ (and bring) חֶרְפָּ֖ה (reproach) עַל־ (on) כָּל־ (all) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Israel).

3  וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ (And said) אֵלָ֜יו (to him) זִקְנֵ֣י (the elders) יָבֵ֗ישׁ (of Jabesh), הֶ֤רֶף (Hold off) לָ֙נוּ֙ (for) שִׁבְעַ֣ת (seven) יָמִ֔ים (days), וְנִשְׁלְחָה֙ (that we may send) מַלְאָכִ֔ים (messengers) בְּכֹ֖ל (to all) גְּב֣וּל (the territory) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel). וְאִם־ (And if) אֵ֥ין (no one) מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ (is saving) אֹתָ֖נוּ (us), וְיָצָ֥אנוּ (and we will come out) אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (to you).

4  וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ (And came) הַמַּלְאָכִים֙ (the messengers) גִּבְעַ֣ת (to Gibeah) שָׁא֔וּל (of Saul) וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ (and told) הַדְּבָרִ֖ים (the news) בְּאָזְנֵ֣י (in the ears) הָעָ֑ם (of the people). וַיִּשְׂא֧וּ (And lifted up) כָל־ (all) הָעָ֛ם (the people) אֶת־ (-) קוֹלָ֖ם (their voices) וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃ (and wept).

5  וְהִנֵּ֣ה (And there was) שָׁא֗וּל (Saul) בָּ֣א (coming) אַחֲרֵ֤י (behind) הַבָּקָר֙ (the herd) מִן־ (from) הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה (the field), וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and said) שָׁא֔וּל (Saul), מַה־ (What is) לָּעָ֖ם (to the people), כִּ֣י (that) יִבְכּ֑וּ (they weep)? וַיְסַ֨פְּרוּ־ (And they told) ל֔וֹ (him) אֶת־ (-) דִּבְרֵ֖י (the words) אַנְשֵׁ֥י (of the men) יָבֵֽישׁ׃ (of Jabesh).

6  וַתִּצְלַ֤ח (And came) רֽוּחַ־ (the Spirit) אֱלֹהִים֙ (of God) עַל־ (upon) שָׁא֔וּל (Saul) בְּשָׁמְעוֹ (when he heard) אֶת־ (-) הַדְּבָרִ֣ים (the words) הָאֵ֑לֶּה (these), וַיִּ֥חַר (and was kindled) אַפּ֖וֹ (his anger) מְאֹֽד׃ (greatly). 7  וַיִּקַּח֩ (And he took) צֶ֨מֶד (a yoke) בָּקָ֜ר (of oxen) וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ (and cut them in pieces), וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח (and sent them) בְּכָל־ (throughout all) גְּב֣וּל (the territory) יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ (of Israel) בְּיַ֣ד (by the hands) הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים׀ (of messengers), לֵאמֹר֒ (saying), אֲשֶׁר֩ (Whoever) אֵינֶ֨נּוּ (not) יֹצֵ֜א (does go out to battle) אַחֲרֵ֤י (with) שָׁאוּל֙ (Saul) וְאַחַ֣ר (and) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Samuel), כֹּ֥ה (so) יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה (it shall be done) לִבְקָר֑וֹ (to his oxen).

וַיִּפֹּ֤ל (And fell) פַּֽחַד־ (the dread) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) עַל־ (on) הָעָ֔ם (the people), וַיֵּצְא֖וּ (and they came out) כְּאִ֥ישׁ (as man) אֶחָֽד׃ (one). 8  וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֖ם (And he numbered them) בְּבָ֑זֶק (in Bezek), וַיִּהְי֤וּ (and were) בְנֵֽי־ (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel) שְׁלֹ֣שׁ (three) מֵא֣וֹת (hundred) אֶ֔לֶף (thousand), וְאִ֥ישׁ (and the men) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים (thirty) אָֽלֶף׃ (thousand). 9  וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ (And they said) לַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים (to the messengers) הַבָּאִ֗ים (who had come), כֹּ֤ה (Thus) תֹֽאמְרוּן֙ (you⁺ shall say) לְאִישׁ֙ (to the men) יָבֵ֣ישׁ (of Jabesh-) גִּלְעָ֔ד (gilead) מָחָ֛ר (Tomorrow) תִּהְיֶֽה־ (shall be) לָכֶ֥ם (to you⁺) תְּשׁוּעָ֖ה (salvation) בְּחֹם (by the heat) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (of the sun).

וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ (And came) הַמַּלְאָכִ֗ים (the messengers) וַיַּגִּ֛ידוּ (and declared this) לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י (to the men) יָבֵ֖ישׁ (of Jabesh), וַיִּשְׂמָֽחוּ׃ (and they were glad).

10  וַֽיֹּאמְרוּ֙ (And said) אַנְשֵׁ֣י (the men) יָבֵ֔ישׁ (of Jabesh), מָחָ֖ר (Tomorrow) נֵצֵ֣א (we will come out) אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם (to you⁺), וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם (and you⁺ may do) לָּ֔נוּ (with us) כְּכָל־ (whatever) הַטּ֖וֹב (seems good) בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ס (to you⁺).

11  וַיְהִ֣י (And it came to pass) מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת (on the next day), וַיָּ֨שֶׂם (that put) שָׁא֣וּל (Saul) אֶת־ (-) הָעָם֮ (the people) שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה (three) רָאשִׁים֒ (in companies), וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ (and they came) בְתוֹךְ־ (into the midst) הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙ (of the camp) בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת (in watch) הַבֹּ֔קֶר (the morning) וַיַּכּ֥וּ (and they struck) אֶת־ (-) עַמּ֖וֹן (Ammonites) עַד־ (until) חֹ֣ם (the heat) הַיּ֑וֹם (of the day). וַיְהִ֤י (And it came to pass), הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ (that those who survived) וַיָּפֻ֔צוּ (and were scattered), וְלֹ֥א (and not) נִשְׁאֲרוּ־ (were left) בָ֖ם (of them) שְׁנַ֥יִם (two) יָֽחַד׃ (together).

Saul Confirmed as King

12  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) הָעָם֙ (the people) אֶל־ (to) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Samuel), מִ֣י (Who is) הָאֹמֵ֔ר (he who said), שָׁא֖וּל (Saul) יִמְלֹ֣ךְ (shall reign) עָלֵ֑ינוּ (over us)? תְּנ֥וּ (Bring) הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים (the men), וּנְמִיתֵֽם׃ (that we may put them to death).

13  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) שָׁא֔וּל (Saul), לֹֽא־ (Not) יוּמַ֥ת (shall be put to death) אִ֖ישׁ (a man) בַּיּ֣וֹם (the day) הַזֶּ֑ה (this), כִּ֥י (for) הַיּ֛וֹם (today) עָשָֽׂה־ (has done) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) תְּשׁוּעָ֖ה (salvation) בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס (in Israel).

14  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) שְׁמוּאֵל֙ (Samuel) אֶל־ (to) הָעָ֔ם (the people), לְכ֖וּ (Come), וְנֵלְכָ֣ה (and we go) הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל (to Gilgal) וּנְחַדֵּ֥שׁ (and renew) שָׁ֖ם (there) הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃ (the kingdom).

15  וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ (And went) כָל־ (all) הָעָ֜ם (the people) הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל (to Gilgal), וַיַּמְלִכוּ֩ (and they made king) שָׁ֨ם (there) אֶת־ (-) שָׁא֜וּל (Saul) לִפְנֵ֤י (before the face of) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל (in Gilgal). וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ (And they made sacrifices) שָׁ֛ם (there) זְבָחִ֥ים (of) שְׁלָמִ֖ים (peace offerings) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH), וַיִּשְׂמַ֨ח (and rejoiced) שָׁ֥ם (there) שָׁא֛וּל (Saul) וְכָל־ (and all) אַנְשֵׁ֥י (the men) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) עַד־ (very) מְאֹֽד׃פ (greatly).