Sauls sakauj amoniešus
1 Amonietis Nāhāšs devās augšup un uzslēja nometni pret Jābēš-Gileādu. Tad visi Jābēšas vīri sacīja Nāhāšam: “Slēdz ar mums derību, un mēs tev kalposim!” 2 Bet amonietis Nāhāšs tiem atbildēja: “Es ar jums slēgšu tikai šādu derību – jums visiem izdurs labo aci. Tā es uzkraušu pazemojumu visam Israēlam.” 3 Un Jābēšas vecajie viņam teica: “Atvēli mums septiņas dienas, un mēs sūtīsim vēstnešus pa visu Israēlu. Ja mums nebūs glābēja, tad mēs iziesim pie tevis.” 4 Kad vēstneši nonāca Saula Gibā un stāstīja to ļaudīm, visa tauta skaļi raudāja. 5 Un, redzi, Sauls nāca no lauka nopakaļ vēršiem, un viņš jautāja: “Kas noticis ļaudīm, ka viņi raud?” Un tie viņam atkārtoja Jābēšas vīru sacīto. 6 Kad Sauls to dzirdēja, pār viņu spēji nāca Kunga Gars, un viņš iedegās lielās dusmās. 7 Viņš ņēma iejūga vēršus, sakapāja gabalos un ar vēstnešiem izsūtīja tos pa visu Israēlu, sacīdams: “Kurš nesekos Saulam un Samuēlam, tā notiks ar viņa vēršiem!” Un ļaudīm uzkrita Kunga šausmas, un tie izgāja visi kā viens. 8 Kad viņš tos sapulcināja Bezekā, Israēla dēlu bija trīs simti tūkstoši un Jūdas vīru – trīsdesmit tūkstoši. 9 Un tie sacīja atnākušajiem vēstnešiem: “Tā sakiet Jābēš-Gileādas vīriem: rīt, kad saule sāks karsēt, jums būs glābšana.” Tad vēstneši gāja un stāstīja to Jābēšas vīriem, un tie līksmoja. 10 Un Jābēšas vīri sacīja amoniešiem: “Rīt mēs iziesim pie jums, dariet mums, kā jums tīk.”
11 Nākamajā dienā Sauls sadalīja ļaudis trīs pulkos, tie ienāca nometnē rīta sardzes laikā un kāva amoniešus līdz dienas karstumam. Atlikušie tika izklīdināti, tā ka nepalika pat divi kopā. 12 Tad tauta sacīja Samuēlam: “Kurš teica: vai tad Sauls valdīs pār mums? Dod šurp tos vīrus, un mēs tos nonāvēsim!” 13 Bet Sauls teica: “Neviens šajā dienā netiks nonāvēts, jo šodien Kungs ir devis Israēlam glābšanu!”
14 Tad Samuēls teica tautai: “Nāciet, iesim uz Gilgālu un tur atjaunosim ķēniņa valdīšanu!” 15 Un visa tauta devās uz Gilgālu, un tur, Gilgālā, Kunga priekšā iecēla Saulu par ķēniņu. Tur viņi pienesa miera upurus Kunga priekšā, un tur Sauls un visi Israēla vīri varen līksmoja.
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
4 ¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. 11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12 ¶ And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. 13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel. 14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
