| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you." | 1So after a month, Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh told Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you." |
| 2Nahash the Ammonite replied, "I'll make one with you on this condition: that I gouge out everyone's right eye and humiliate all Israel." | 2Nahash the Ammonite told them, "I'll make a covenant with you on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel." |
| 3"Don't do anything to us for seven days," the elders of Jabesh said to him, "and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you." | 3The elders of Jabesh told him, "Leave us alone for seven days so that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then if no one delivers us, we will come out to you and surrender." |
| 4When the messengers came to Gibeah, Saul's hometown, and told the terms to the people, all wept aloud. | 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported the terms to the people, all the people cried loudly. |
| 5Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. "What's the matter with the people? Why are they weeping?" Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh. | 5Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind the oxen and he said, "What's with the people? Why are they crying?" They reported to him what the men of Jabesh had said. |
| 6When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly took control of him, and his anger burned furiously. | 6When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God came on him, and he was very angry. |
| 7He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the land of Israel by messengers who said, "This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn't march behind Saul and Samuel." As a result, the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they went out united. | 7He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers through all the territory of Israel: "This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not come out and join Saul and Samuel!" The fear of the LORD fell on the people and they came out as one man. |
| 8Saul counted them at Bezek. There were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 men from Judah. | 8Saul mustered them at Bezek, and there were 300,000 Israelis and 30,000 men of Judah. |
| 9He told the messengers who had come, "Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: 'Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.'" So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced. | 9They told the messengers who had come, "You are to say this to the men of Jabesh-gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be delivered.'" The messengers went and reported to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced. |
| 10Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do whatever you want to us." | 10The men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you and surrender. Then you can do whatever you want to us." |
| 11The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions. During the morning watch, they invaded the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. There were survivors, but they were so scattered that no two of them were left together. | 11The next day Saul separated the people into three companies. They came into the camp during the morning watch, and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered so that no two of them remained together. |
| 12Afterward, the people said to Samuel, "Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Give us those men so we can kill them!" | 12The people told Samuel, "Who said, 'Will Saul reign over us?' Bring them to us and we will put them to death!" |
| 13But Saul ordered, "No one will be executed this day, for today the LORD has provided deliverance in Israel." | 13But Saul said, "Let no one be put to death this day, because today the LORD has delivered Israel." |
| 14Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let's go to Gilgal, so we can renew the kingship there." | 14Then Samuel told the people, "Come, let's go to Gilgal and reaffirm the kingship there." |
| 15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there in the LORD's presence they made Saul king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings in the LORD's presence, and Saul and all the men of Israel greatly rejoiced. | 15So all the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul king in the LORD's presence in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings in the LORD's presence, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. |
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