I Samuel 11

וַיַּ֗עַל נָחָשׁ֙ הָעַמּוֹנִ֔י וַיִּ֖חַן עַל־יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כׇּל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י יָבֵישׁ֙ אֶל־נָחָ֔שׁ כְּרׇת־לָ֥נוּ בְרִ֖ית וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃

Nahash the Ammonite marched up and besieged Jabesh-gilead. All the people of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a pact with us, and we will serve you.”

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם נָחָשׁ֙ הָעַמּוֹנִ֔י בְּזֹאת֙ אֶכְרֹ֣ת לָכֶ֔ם בִּנְק֥וֹר לָכֶ֖ם כׇּל־עֵ֣ין יָמִ֑ין וְשַׂמְתִּ֥יהָ חֶרְפָּ֖ה עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

But Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “I will make a pact with you on this condition, that every man’s right eye be gouged out; I will make this a humiliation for all Israel.”

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו זִקְנֵ֣י יָבֵ֗ישׁ הֶ֤רֶף לָ֙נוּ֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים וְנִשְׁלְחָה֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאִם־אֵ֥ין מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ אֹתָ֖נוּ וְיָצָ֥אנוּ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite, so that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel; if no one comes to our aid, we will surrender to you.”

וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים֙ גִּבְעַ֣ת שָׁא֔וּל וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיִּשְׂא֧וּ כׇל־הָעָ֛ם אֶת־קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃

When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and gave this report in the hearing of the people, all the people broke into weeping.

וְהִנֵּ֣ה שָׁא֗וּל בָּ֣א אַחֲרֵ֤י הַבָּקָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל מַה־לָּעָ֖ם כִּ֣י יִבְכּ֑וּ וַ֨יְסַפְּרוּ־ל֔וֹ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י אַנְשֵׁ֥י יָבֵֽישׁ׃

Saul was just coming from the field driving the cattle; and Saul asked, “Why are the people crying?” And they told him about the situation of the inhabitants of Jabesh.

וַתִּצְלַ֤ח רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־שָׁא֔וּל (בשמעו) [כְּשׇׁמְע֖וֹ] אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיִּ֥חַר אַפּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃

When he heard these things, the spirit of God gripped Saul and his anger blazed up.

וַיִּקַּח֩ צֶ֨מֶד בָּקָ֜ר וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח בְּכׇל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ בְּיַ֣ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים׀לֵאמֹר֒ אֲשֶׁר֩ אֵינֶ֨נּוּ יֹצֵ֜א אַחֲרֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ וְאַחַ֣ר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כֹּ֥ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לִבְקָר֑וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֤ל פַּֽחַד־יְהֹוָה֙ עַל־הָעָ֔ם וַיֵּצְא֖וּ כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד׃

He took a yoke of oxen and cut them into pieces, which he sent by messengers throughout the territory of Israel, with the warning, “Thus shall be done to the cattle of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” Terror from G OD fell upon the people, and they came out united.

וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֖ם בְּבָ֑זֶק וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ שְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אֶ֔לֶף וְאִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָ֖ה שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃

[Saul] mustered them in Bezek: the Israelites numbered 300,000, and Judah’s contingent 30,000.

וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ לַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים הַבָּאִ֗ים כֹּ֤ה תֹֽאמְרוּן֙ לְאִישׁ֙ יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֔ד מָחָ֛ר תִּֽהְיֶֽה־לָכֶ֥ם תְּשׁוּעָ֖ה (בחם) [כְּחֹ֣ם] הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֗ים וַיַּגִּ֛ידוּ לְאַנְשֵׁ֥י יָבֵ֖ישׁ וַיִּשְׂמָֽחוּ׃

The messengers who had come were told, “Thus shall you speak to Jabesh-gilead’s side: Tomorrow, when the sun grows hot, you shall be saved.” When the messengers came and told this to the representatives of Jabesh, they rejoiced.

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י יָבֵ֔ישׁ מָחָ֖ר נֵצֵ֣א אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם לָ֔נוּ כְּכׇל־הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ {ס}

The representatives of Jabesh then told [the Ammonites], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you please.”

וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֗ת וַיָּ֨שֶׂם שָׁא֣וּל אֶת־הָעָם֮ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁים֒ וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ בְתוֹךְ־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙ בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֶת־עַמּ֖וֹן עַד־חֹ֣ם הַיּ֑וֹם וַיְהִ֤י הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ וַיָּפֻ֔צוּ וְלֹ֥א נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָ֖ם שְׁנַ֥יִם יָֽחַד׃

The next day, Saul divided the troops into three columns; at the morning watch they entered the camp and struck down the Ammonites until the day grew hot. The survivors scattered; no two were left together.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָעָם֙ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל מִ֣י הָאֹמֵ֔ר שָׁא֖וּל יִמְלֹ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ינוּ תְּנ֥וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וּנְמִיתֵֽם׃

The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it said, ‘Shall Saul be king over us?’ Hand over those involved—and we will put them to death!”

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל לֹא־יוּמַ֥ת אִ֖ישׁ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֥י הַיּ֛וֹם עָשָֽׂה־יְהֹוָ֥ה תְּשׁוּעָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

But Saul replied, “Nobody shall be put to death this day! For this day G OD has brought victory to Israel.”

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם לְכ֖וּ וְנֵלְכָ֣ה הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וּנְחַדֵּ֥שׁ שָׁ֖ם הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃

Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there inaugurate the monarchy.”

וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל וַיַּמְלִ֩כוּ֩ שָׁ֨ם אֶת־שָׁא֜וּל לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־שָׁ֛ם זְבָחִ֥ים שְׁלָמִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׂמַ֨ח שָׁ֥ם שָׁא֛וּל וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־מְאֹֽד׃ {פ}

So all the people went to Gilgal, and there at Gilgal they declared Saul king before G OD . They offered sacrifices of well-being there before G OD ; and Saul and everyone connected with Israel held a great celebration there.