Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh
1Nahash11:1 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls gifts. Now Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely. He gouged out all their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out by Nahash king of the Ammonites, except that seven thousand men fled from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh Gilead. About a month later, 1 Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.”
2But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”
3The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.”
4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud. 5Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
6When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. 7He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one. 8When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.
9They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’ ” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. 10They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”
11The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”
13But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.”
14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.
Saulo Di Amonfo So Nkonim
1Ɛbɛyɛ ɔsram akyi, Amonhene Nahas dii nʼakofo anim bɛtoaa Israel kuropɔn Yabes Gilead. Na Yabesman mma srɛɛ sɛ, “Momma yɛne mo nyɛ apam, na yɛbɛyɛ mo asomfo.”
2Nanso Amonni Nahas buae se, “Eye, na ade baako pɛ na ɛsɛ sɛ mopene so. Ɛne sɛ, metu obiara ani nifa baako de agu Israel nyinaa anim ase.”
3Na Yabes mpanyin no buae se, “Ma yɛn nnanson, na yɛmfa nsoma abɔfo mfa Israel nyinaa, na sɛ yɛn abusuafo amma ammegye yɛn de a, yɛbɛpene wo nhyehyɛe no so.”
4Abɔfo no beduu Gibea a ɛyɛ Saulo kurom, bɛkaa asɛm a ato wɔn no kyerɛɛ ɔmanfo maa wɔn nyinaa sui. 5Saa bere no, na Saulo refuntum nʼafuw. Na ɔbaa fie no, obisae se, “Dɛn asɛm na asi? Adɛn nti na nusu abu obiara kɔn yi?” Enti wɔbɔɔ asɛm a efi Yabes aba no ho amanneɛ.
6Onyankopɔn honhom besii Saulo so denneennen. Na ne bo fuw yiye. 7Ɔfaa anantwi abien, twitwaa wɔn asinasin, na wɔmaa abɔfo no soa kyinii Israel nyinaa, kae se, “Obiara a wanni Saulo ne Samuel akyi ankɔ ɔko no, saa ara na ne nantwi bɛyɛ!” Na Awurade maa nnipa no suroo Saulo abufuw no. Enti wɔn nyinaa bɛboaa wɔn ho ano. 8Bere a Saulo boaa wɔn ano wɔ Besek a ɔkan wɔn no, na Israel mmarima dodow yɛ mpem ahaasa na Yudafo nso dodow yɛ mpem aduasa.
9Saulo somaa abɔfo no ma wɔsan wɔn akyi kɔɔ Yabes Gilead kɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Enkosi ɔkyena awia owigyinae bere mu no, yebeyi mo afi mo ahokyere no mu.” Abɔfo no kɔka eyi kyerɛɛ Yabes mmarima no, wɔn ani gyei. 10Na Yabes mmarima ka kyerɛɛ wɔn atamfo no se, “Ɔkyena yɛbɛba mo so, na nea mopɛ no, monyɛ yɛn.”
11Nanso ansa na ade bɛkye no, na Saulo adu hɔ dedaw. Ɔkyekyɛɛ nʼakofo no mu akuw abiɛsa. Ɔtow hyɛɛ Amonfo no so mpofirim, kunkum wɔn anɔpa mu no nyinaa. Wɔn asraafo nkae no bɔ hwetee baabiara a obi mpo nhu sɛ wɔn mu baanu bi gyina faako.
12Afei, nnipa no teɛɛ mu frɛɛ Samuel se, “Nnipa a wɔka se ɛnsɛ sɛ Saulo di yɛn so hene no wɔ he? Momfa wɔn mmra na yenkum wɔn.”
13Nanso Saulo buae se, “Wɔrenkum obiara nnɛ, efisɛ, Awurade agye Israel nnɛ.”
14Na Samuel ka kyerɛɛ nnipa no se, “Mommra na yɛn nyinaa nkɔ Gilgal nkosi Saulo ahenni no so dua.” 15Enti wɔn nyinaa kɔɔ Gilgal, na wɔhyɛɛ Saulo ahenkyɛw wɔ Awurade anim. Na wɔbɔɔ asomdwoe afɔre maa Awurade, na Saulo ne Israelfo nyinaa gyee wɔn ani.
