撒母耳記上 11

1 亞捫人的王拿轄上來，對着基列‧雅比安營。雅比眾人對拿轄說：「你與我們立約，我們就服事你。」

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 亞捫人拿轄說：「你們若由我剜出你們各人的右眼，以此凌辱以色列眾人，我就與你們立約。」

And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

3 雅比的長老對他說：「求你寬容我們七日，等我們打發人往以色列的全境去；若沒有人救我們，我們就出來歸順你。」

And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel: and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.

4 使者到了掃羅住的基比亞，將這話說給百姓聽，百姓就都放聲而哭。

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 掃羅正從田間趕牛回來，問說：「百姓為甚麼哭呢？」眾人將雅比人的話告訴他。

And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

6 掃羅聽見這話，就被上帝的靈大大感動，甚是發怒。

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

7 他將一對牛切成塊子，託付使者傳送以色列的全境，說：「凡不出來跟隨掃羅和撒母耳的，也必這樣切開他的牛。」於是耶和華使百姓懼怕，他們就都出來，如同一人。

And he 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, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

8 掃羅在比色數點他們：以色列人有三十萬，猶大人有三萬。

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

9 眾人對那使者說：「你們要回覆基列‧雅比人說，明日太陽近午的時候，你們必得解救。」使者回去告訴雅比人，他們就歡喜了。

And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

10 於是雅比人對亞捫人說：「明日我們出來歸順你們，你們可以隨意待我們。」

Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.

11 第二日，掃羅將百姓分為三隊，在晨更的時候入了亞捫人的營，擊殺他們直到太陽近午，剩下的人都逃散，沒有二人同在一處的。

And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote 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 百姓對撒母耳說：「那說『掃羅豈能管理我們』的是誰呢？可以將他交出來，我們好殺死他。」

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 掃羅說：「今日耶和華在以色列中施行拯救，所以不可殺人。」

And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for today the LORD hath wrought deliverance in Israel.

14 撒母耳對百姓說：「我們要往吉甲去，在那裏立國。」

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

15 眾百姓就到了吉甲那裏，在耶和華面前立掃羅為王，又在耶和華面前獻平安祭。掃羅和以色列眾人大大歡喜。

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.