¹Otprilike poslije mjesec dana dođe Amonac Nahaš i utabori se kod Jabeša Gileadskog. Svi Jabešani poručiše Nahašu: "Sklopi savez s nama pa ćemo ti se pokoriti."

¹And Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

²Ali im Amonac Nahaš odgovori: "Ovako ću sklopiti savez s vama: svakome ću od vas iskopati desno oko, i tako ću učiniti sramotu svemu Izraelu."

²And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this [condition] will I treat with you, that I thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

³A jabeške mu starješine rekoše: "Ostavi nam sedam dana da pošaljemo glasnike u sve krajeve Izraelove, pa ako se ne nađe nitko da nas izbavi, predat ćemo se tebi."

³And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Allow us seven days, and we will send messengers into all the districts of Israel; and if there be no man to deliver us, we will come out to thee.

⁴I dođoše poslanici u Šaulovu Gibeu te izložiše sve narodu da čuje. Tada sav narod zaplaka iza glasa.

⁴And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told these words in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept.

⁵A gle, Šaul je upravo išao za govedima iz polja pa upita: "Što je ljudima te plaču?" I pripovjediše mu što su rekli Jabešani.

⁵And behold, Saul came after the oxen from the field; and Saul said, What [aileth] the people that they weep? And they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

⁶Kad je Šaul čuo te riječi, duh Jahvin siđe na njega i silan gnjev uskipje u njemu.

⁶And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

⁷I uze on dva vola, isiječe ih i komade razasla po poslanicima u sve krajeve Izraelove i poruči: "Tko ne pođe za Šaulom, ovako će biti s njegovim govedima." I strah Božji obuze ljude te pođoše kao jedan čovjek.

⁷And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen! And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

⁸Šaul ih izbroji u Bezeku: i bijaše sinova Izraelovih tri stotine tisuća, a Judinih ljudi trideset tisuća.

⁸And he numbered them in Bezek, and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹Zatim reče poslanicima koji bijahu došli: "Ovako recite Jabešanima u Gileadu: sutra, kad sunce pripeče, stići će vam pomoć." Kad su se poslanici vratili, javiše sve to Jabešanima i oni se obradovaše.

⁹And they said to the messengers that had come, Thus shall ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye shall have deliverance when the sun is hot. And the messengers came and informed the men of Jabesh-Gilead; and they were glad.

¹⁰I poručiše Nahašu: "Sutra ćemo izaći k vama, pa učinite s nama što vam bude drago."

¹⁰And the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out to you, and ye may do with us according to all that is good in your sight.

¹¹Sutradan Šaul razdijeli narod u tri čete, koje provališe u tabor o jutarnjoj straži i tukoše Amonce do najveće dnevne žege; a što preživje, rasprša se da ni dvojica ne ostaše zajedno.

¹¹And it came to pass the next day that Saul set the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote Ammon until the heat of the day: and it came to pass that they who remained were scattered, and not two of them were left together.

¹²Tada narod reče Samuelu: "Tko je onaj što je govorio: 'Zar će Šaul kraljevati nad nama?' Dajte te ljude da ih pogubimo!"

¹²And the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

¹³Ali Šaul odgovori: "Neka se ne pogubi u ovaj dan nitko, jer je danas Jahve izvojevao pobjedu u Izraelu."

¹³But Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah has wrought deliverance in Israel.

¹⁴Tada Samuel reče narodu: "Hajdemo u Gilgal da ondje potvrdimo kraljevstvo."

¹⁴And Samuel said to the people, Come and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

¹⁵I sav narod krenu u Gilgal i ondje postaviše Šaula za kralja pred Jahvom, u Gilgalu. Ondje žrtvovaše pred Jahvom žrtve pričesnice i ondje je Šaul sa svim Izraelcima slavio slavlje.

¹⁵And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed peace-offerings before Jehovah. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly.