New International Version | Christian Standard Bible |
1Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you." | 1Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you." |
2But Nahash the Ammonite replied, "I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel." | 2Nahash the Ammonite replied, "I'll make one with you on this condition: that I gouge out everyone's right eye and humiliate all Israel." |
3The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you." | 3"Don't do anything to us for seven days," the elders of Jabesh said to him, "and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you." |
4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud. | 4When the messengers came to Gibeah, Saul's hometown, and told the terms to the people, all wept aloud. |
5Just 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. | 5Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. "What's the matter with the people? Why are they weeping?" Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh. |
6When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. | 6When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly came powerfully on him, and his anger burned furiously. |
7He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, "This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel." Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out together as one. | 7He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, "This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn't march behind Saul and Samuel." As a result, the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they went out united. |
8When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand. | 8Saul counted them at Bezek. There were three hundred thousand Israelites and thirty thousand men from Judah. |
9They 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. | 9He told the messengers who had come, "Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: 'Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.'" So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced. |
10They said to the Ammonites, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like." | 10Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do whatever you want to us." |
11The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. | 11The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions. During the morning watch, they invaded the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. There were survivors, but they were so scattered that no two of them were left together. |
12The people then said to Samuel, "Who was it that asked, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death." | 12Afterward, the people said to Samuel, "Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Give us those men so we can kill them!" |
13But Saul said, "No one will be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel." | 13But Saul ordered, "No one will be executed this day, for today the LORD has provided deliverance in Israel." |
14Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship." | 14Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let's go to Gilgal, so we can renew the kingship there." |
15So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration. | 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there in the LORD's presence they made Saul king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings in the LORD's presence, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. |
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
|