1Then 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 you.”
1亞捫王拿轄威脅雅比人亞捫人拿轄上來，安營攻擊基列．雅比。所有的雅比人都對拿轄說：“你與我們立約，我們就服事你。”
2Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel.”
2亞捫人拿轄對他們說：“這是我與你們立約的條件：我要剜出你們各人的右眼，用來羞辱以色列眾人。”
3The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven day, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”
3雅比的長老對他說：“請你寬限我們七天，好讓我們派遣使者到以色列的全境去；如果沒有人拯救我們，我們就出來向你投降。”
4Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
4使者到了掃羅住的基比亞，把這些話說給眾民聽，眾民就都放聲大哭。
5Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, “What ails the people that they weep?” They told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
5那時，掃羅正從田裡趕牛回來，問說：“甚麼事啊？為甚麼人都在哭呢？”於是有人把雅比人的話告訴他。
6The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.
6掃羅擊敗亞捫人掃羅聽了這些話， 神的靈大大感動他，他就非常忿怒。
7He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
7他牽來一對牛，把牠們切成碎塊，交給使者，送到以色列的全境去，說：“不出來跟從掃羅和撒母耳的，他的牛也必受到這樣的對待。”因眾民懼怕耶和華，他們就都出來，如同一人。
8He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
8掃羅在比色數點他們。以色列人共有三十萬，猶大人有三萬。
9They said to the messengers who came, “Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’” The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
9掃羅對前來的使者說：“你們要這樣對基列．雅比人說：‘明天中午，你們必得拯救。’”使者回去告訴基列．雅比人，他們就歡喜了。
10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.”
10雅比人對亞捫人說：“明天我們出來向你們投降，你們看怎麼好，就怎麼待我們吧。”
11It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
11第二天，掃羅把眾人分成三隊。在晨更的時候，他們進了亞捫人的營中，擊殺他們，直到中午；殘餘的人都星散了，他們中間沒有兩個人留在一起的。
12The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”
12人民在吉甲立掃羅為王眾民對撒母耳說：“那說‘掃羅怎能作我們的王’的是誰呢？把那些人交出來，我們好殺死他們。”
13Saul said, “There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel.”
13掃羅說：“今天不可以殺人，因為今天是耶和華在以色列中施行拯救的日子。”
14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”
14撒母耳對眾民說：“來吧，我們往吉甲去，好在那裡重新建立王國。”
15All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
15眾民就都到吉甲去，在那裡在耶和華面前立掃羅為王，又在那裡在耶和華面前獻平安祭。掃羅和以色列眾民都在那裡，非常歡喜。