I Samuel 11 · שמואל א

Then Naĥash the ῾Ammonite came up, and encamped against Yavesh-gil῾ad: and all the men of Yavesh said to Naĥash, Make a league with us, and we will serve thee.

And Naĥash the ῾Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a league with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a disgrace upon all Yisra᾽el.

And the elders of Yavesh said to him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Yisra᾽el: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.

Then came the messengers to Giv῾a of Sha᾽ul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people raised their voices, and wept.

And, behold, Sha᾽ul came after the herd out of the field; and Sha᾽ul said, What ails the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Yavesh,

And the spirit of God came upon Sha᾽ul when he heard those tidings, and his anger burned greatly.

And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them up in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Yisra᾽el by the hands of messengers, saying, Whoever comes not forth after Sha᾽ul and after Shemu᾽el, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people and they came out with one consent.

And when he numbered them in Bezeq, the children of Yisra᾽el were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yehuda, thirty thousand.

And they said to the messengers that came, Thus shall you say to the men of Yavesh-gil῾ad, To morrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help. And the messengers came and reported to the men of Yavesh; and they were glad.

Therefore the men of Yavesh said, To morrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good in your eyes.

And it was so on the morrow, that Sha᾽ul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote ῾Ammon until the heat of the day: and those that remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

And the people said to Shemu᾽el, Who is he that said, Shall Sha᾽ul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

And Sha᾽ul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for today the Lord has wrought salvation in Yisra᾽el.

Then said Shemu᾽el to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Sha᾽ul king before the Lord in Gilgal: and there they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Sha᾽ul and all the men of Yisra᾽el rejoiced greatly.