Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1 About a month later King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the town of Jabesh in the territory of Gilead and besieged it. The men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will accept you as our ruler.”
2 Nahash answered, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition: I will put out everyone's right eye and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”
3 The leaders of Jabesh said, “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the land of Israel. If no one will help us, then we will surrender to you.”
4 The messengers arrived at Gibeah, where Saul lived, and when they told the news, the people started crying in despair. 5 Saul was just then coming in from the field with his oxen, and he asked, “What's wrong? Why is everyone crying?” They told him what the messengers from Jabesh had reported. 6 When Saul heard this, the spirit of God took control of him, and he became furious. 7 He took two oxen, cut them in pieces, and had messengers carry the pieces throughout the land of Israel with this warning: “Whoever does not follow Saul and Samuel into battle will have this done to his oxen!”
The people of Israel were afraid of what the Lord might do, and all of them, without exception, came out together. 8 Saul gathered them at Bezek: there were 300,000 from Israel and 30,000 from Judah. 9 They said to the messengers from Jabesh, “Tell your people that before noon tomorrow they will be rescued.” When the people of Jabesh received the message, they were overjoyed 10 and said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do with us whatever you wish.”
11 That night Saul divided his men into three groups, and at dawn the next day they rushed into the enemy camp and attacked the Ammonites. By noon they had slaughtered them. The survivors scattered, each man running off by himself.
12 Then the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Where are the people who said that Saul should not be our king? Hand them over to us, and we will kill them!”
13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this is the day the Lord rescued Israel.” 14 And Samuel said to them, “Let us all go to Gilgal and once more proclaim Saul as our king.” 15 So they all went to Gilgal, and there at the holy place they proclaimed Saul king. They offered fellowship sacrifices, and Saul and all the people of Israel celebrated the event.
1 Tad amonietis Nahašs devās un apmetās teltīs pie Jabešas Gileādā, un visi Jabešas vīri sacīja Nahašam: "Noslēdz derību ar mums, mēs gribam tev kalpot." 2 Tad amonietis Nahašs viņiem sacīja: "Tikai tā esmu ar mieru ar jums visiem noslēgt derību, ka es jums visiem izduru labo aci, tā likdams kaunam nākt pār visu Israēlu." 3 Tad Jabešas vecaji viņam sacīja: "Dod mums septiņas dienas laika, lai mēs izsūtām vēstnešus pa visām Israēla robežām; ja tad nebūs neviena glābēja mums, mēs paši iziesim pie tevis." 4 Kad vēstneši nonāca Gibeā, Saula pilsētā, un izstāstīja visus šos vārdus tautai, tad visa tauta pacēla savu balsi un raudāja. 5 Bet Sauls atgriezās ar vēršiem no lauka. Un Sauls vaicāja: "Kas ļaudīm ir noticis, ka tie raud?" Tad tie viņam izstāstīja Jabešas vīru vēsti. 6 Kad Sauls šos vārdus dzirdēja, tad Dieva Gars nāca pār viņu un viņš iedegās ļoti bargās dusmās. 7 Viņš sagrāba jūga vēršus un tos sakapāja mazos gabalos. Tos ar vēstnešu rokām viņš izsūtīja pa visām Israēla robežām, teikdams: "Kas nesekos Saulam un kas nesekos Samuēlam, ar tā vēršiem tiks darīts tāpat!" Tad bijība Tā Kunga priekšā it pēkšņi pārņēma visu tautu, un tie devās karā kā viens vīrs. 8 Viņš tos pārskaitīja Bezekā, un tad Israēlam izrādījās trīs simti tūkstošu, bet Jūdam trīsdesmit tūkstoši vīru. 9 Tad tie sacīja vēstnešiem, kas bija nākuši: "Tā sakiet Jabešas vīriem Gileādā: rītdien, kad saule karsti spiedīs, jums būs glābšana." Kad vēstneši atnāca un paziņoja to Jabešas vīriem, tad tie priecājās. 10 Un tad Jabešas vīri paziņoja amoniešiem: "Rīt mēs labprātīgi dosimies jūsu rokās, tad dariet ar mums, kā jums patīk!" 11 Nākamā rītā Sauls sadalīja karaspēku trijos pulkos, un tie rīta ausmā uzbruka ienaidnieku nometnei un kāva amoniešus līdz dienas karstākai stundai; bet tie, kuri palika pāri, tika tā izklīdināti, ka pat divi nepalika kopā. 12 Tad tauta sacīja Samuēlam: "Kas tie tādi bija, kuri sacīja: vai lai Sauls pār mums valda kā ķēniņš? - Dodiet šurp mums šos vīrus, lai mēs tos nonāvējam!" 13 Bet Sauls sacīja: "Šodien lai neviens nemirst, tāpēc ka Tas Kungs šodien ir devis atpestīšanu Israēlam." 14 Un tad Samuēls sacīja tautai: "Nāciet, dosimies uz Gilgalu un apstiprināsim tur ķēniņa varu!" 15 Tad visa tauta nogāja uz Gilgalu, un tur viņi iecēla Saulu par ķēniņu Tā Kunga priekšā Gilgalā, un viņi tur nesa Tam Kungam kaujamos pateicības upurus. Tur tad arī Sauls ar visiem Israēla vīriem ļāvās lielam priekam.
