Sauli Aukomboa Mji Wa Yabeshi
111:1 Mwa 19:38; 1Sam 12:12; 31:11; 2Sam 10:2; 17:27; 2:4-5; 21:12; Kut 23:32; Yer 37:1; Eze 17:13; 1Nya 19:1; Amu 21:8Nahashi yule Mwamoni, akakwea kuuzunguka kwa jeshi mji wa Yabeshi-Gileadi. Watu wote wa Yabeshi wakamwambia, “Fanya mkataba na sisi, na tutakuwa chini yako.”
211:2 Mwa 34:15; Hes 16:14; 1Sam 17:26; 2Sam 17:26Lakini Nahashi yule Mwamoni akajibu, “Nitafanya mkataba na ninyi tu kwa sharti kwamba nitangʼoa jicho la kulia la kila mmoja wenu, na hivyo kuleta aibu juu ya Israeli yote.”
311:3 1Sam 8:4; Amu 2:16Viongozi wa Yabeshi wakamwambia, “Tupe siku saba ili tuweze kutuma wajumbe katika Israeli yote, kama hakuna hata mmoja anayekuja kutuokoa, tutajisalimisha kwako.”
411:4 1Sam 10:5; 15:34; Mwa 27:38; Hes 25:6; Amu 2:4; 21:2; 2Sam 21:6; Rum 12:15Wajumbe walipofika Gibea ya Sauli na kutoa taarifa juu ya masharti haya kwa watu, wote walilia kwa sauti kubwa. 5Wakati huo huo Sauli alikuwa anarudi kutoka mashambani, akiwa nyuma ya maksai wake, naye akauliza, “Watu wana nini? Mbona wanalia?” Ndipo wakamweleza jinsi watu wa Yabeshi walivyokuwa wamesema.
611:6 Amu 3:10; 6:34; 13:25; 1Sam 10:10; 16:13Sauli aliposikia maneno yao, Roho wa Mungu akaja juu yake kwa nguvu, naye akawaka hasira. 711:7 1Sam 6:14; Amu 19:29; 21:5; 20:1; Mwa 35:5; 1Nya 14:14; 17:10; Mit 14:26Akachukua jozi ya maksai na kuwakata vipande vipande, naye kuvituma hivyo vipande kupitia wajumbe katika Israeli yote, wakitangaza, “Hivi ndivyo itakavyofanyika kwa maksai wa kila mmoja ambaye hatamfuata Sauli na Samweli.” Kisha hofu ya Bwana ikawaangukia watu, nao wakatoka kama mtu mmoja. 811:8 Amu 20:2; 1:4; 2Sam 24:9Sauli alipowakusanya huko Bezeki, watu wa Israeli walikuwa 300,000 na watu wa Yuda 30,000.
9Wakawaambia wale wajumbe waliokuwa wamekuja, “Waambieni watu wa Yabeshi-Gileadi, ‘Kesho kabla jua halijawa kali, mtaokolewa.’ ” Wajumbe walipokwenda na kutoa taarifa hii kwa watu wa Yabeshi, wakafurahi. 10Wakawaambia Waamoni, “Kesho tutajisalimisha kwenu, nanyi mtaweza kututendea chochote mnachoona chema kwenu.”
1111:11 Amu 7:16; Mwa 19:38Kesho yake Sauli alitenganisha watu wake katika vikosi vitatu; wakati wa zamu ya mwisho ya usiku wakaingia katika kambi ya Waamoni na kuwachinja mpaka mchana. Wale walionusurika wakasambaa, kiasi kwamba hawakusalia watu wawili pamoja.
Sauli Athibitishwa Kuwa Mfalme
1211:12 Kum 13:13; Lk 19:27Kisha watu wakamwambia Samweli, “Ni nani yule aliyeuliza, ‘Je, Sauli atatawala juu yetu?’ Tuletee hawa watu, nasi tutawaua.”
1311:13 2Sam 19:22; 1Sam 19:5; 1Nya 11:14; Kut 14:13; Za 44:4-8; Ebr 2:3Lakini Sauli akasema, “Hakuna hata mmoja atakayeuawa leo, kwa kuwa siku hii Bwana ameokoa Israeli.”
1411:14 Yos 10:43; 1Sam 10:8; 10:25Ndipo Samweli akawaambia watu, “Njooni, twendeni Gilgali na huko tuthibitishe ufalme.” 1511:15 Yos 5:9; 2Sam 19:15; 1Sam 12:1Kwa hiyo watu wote wakaenda Gilgali na kumthibitisha Sauli kuwa mfalme mbele za Bwana. Huko wakatoa dhabihu za sadaka za amani mbele za Bwana, naye Sauli na Waisraeli wote wakafanya karamu kubwa.
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.
