1 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 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
4 ¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. 11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew 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 ¶ 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 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel. 14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 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.
Saul ma havere Ovaamoni
1 Kombunda yomueze mangara umwe Nahas, Omuamoni, wa hongorera otjimbumba tje tjovita na karwisa otjihuro Jabes mehi ra Gilead. Otjimbumba tje tjovita tja kovera otjihuro hi, novarumendu va Jabes otji va tja nai ku Nahas: “Rikuteye kuna eṱe, neṱe matu mu karere.”
2 Nu Nahas wa zira a tja: “Ami me rikutu kuna eṋe momuhingo mbwi: Me hokora eho rokunene raauhe weṋu, notji me eta ohoṋi mOisrael atjihe.”
3 Novanane va Jabes va tja nai ku ye: “Tu pao oruveze rwomayuva hambombari, tu tume ovahindwa mehi arihe ra Israel; tji pe hi nomundu ngu me tu vatere, otji matu riyandja kove.”
4 Novahindwa ve ya kOgibea Saul ka turire; nu tji va tjivisa indji ombuze kotjiwaṋa, otji tja uta okurira tjinene nomerihahiziro. 5 Nu moruveze ndo tjandje Saul ma zire mokuti nozongombe ze, neye wa pura a tja: “Otjiwaṋa matji ririre tjike nai?” Nowo ve mu raera omambo wovahindwa, mba zire kOjabes. 6 Nu Saul tja zuva otjiṋa hi, Ombepo ya Ndjambi arire tji ya hiti mu ye, neye wa ṱomazenge tjinene. 7 Saul wa kambura ozonduwombe mbari ne ze haṋa movindimbu pekepeke, na hindi ovindimbu mbi puna ovahindwa mehi arihe ra Israel, na tja: “Ngu hi nakukongorera Saul na Samuel kovita, ozonduwombe ze maze katjitwa nao wina.”
Okutira Muhona otji kwa wira motjiwaṋa; notjo tja kumuka otja omundu umwe. 8 Saul we ve woronganisira mObesek; nu mwa ri Ovaisrael omayovi omasere yetatu, nOvajuda omayovi omirongo vitatu. 9 Nowo va tja nai kovahindwa mbe ya ngo: “Karaereye nai kovarumendu va Jabes mOgilead: Muhuka eyuva tji ra zu, mamu munu ombatero.” Novahindwa tji va karaera ombuze ndji kovature va Jabes ovature mba arire tji va nyanda tjinene, 10 nave tja nai ku Nahas: “Muhuka matu riyandja ku eṋe, mu tu tjite otja pu mamu vanga.”
11 Nu mependukirwa Saul wa haṋa ovarumendu ve. Novimbumba vitatu, nomuhuka omunene va taurira mozonganda zOvaamoni, ave ve rwisa nave ve zepa, nga omutenya tji wa tu; nu imba mba hupa, va pizuka, nomundu auhe wa tupuka ku ye omuini.
12 NOvaisrael va tja nai ku Samuel: “Oowaṋi ngwa tja Saul ke nokusokutuhonaparera? Ve yandjeye ku eṱe tu ve zepe!”
13 Nungwari Saul wa zira a tja: “Kape nomundu ngu ma ṱu ndinondi, Muhona tjinga a yama Israel meyuva ndi.” 14 Samuel wa tja nai kotjiwaṋa: “Ngatu yende kOgilgal tu kazike Saul a rire ombara yetu.” 15 Notjiwaṋa atjihe tja ya kOgilgal, natji kazika Saul komurungu wa Muhona okurira ombara. Nowo va punguhira Muhona ozombunguhiro zohange, nu Saul nOvaisrael avehe arire tji va yoroka tjinene.
