1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."

2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out. I will make this dishonor all Israel."

3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you." 4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people, then all the people lifted up their voice and wept.

5 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, "What ails the people that they weep?" They told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burned hot. 7 He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, then sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever doesn’t come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 They said to the messengers who came, "Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.’" The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you." 11 On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 The people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!"

13 Saul said, "No man shall be put to death today; for today Yahweh has rescued Israel."

14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there." 15 All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

1 Na ka haere mai a Nahaha Amoni ki te whakapae i Iapehe Kireara. A ka mea nga tangata katoa o Iapehe ki a Nahaha, Whakaritea mai he kawenata ki a matou, a ka mahi matou ki a koe.

2 Na ka mea a Nahaha Amoni ki a ratou, Ko te mea tenei e whakarite kawenata ai ahau ki a koutou, kia pokaia o koutou kanohi matau katoa; a ka waiho e ahau hei tawai mo Iharaira katoa.

3 Ano ra ko nga kaumatua o Iapehe ki a ia, Tukua mai koa ki a matou kia whitu nga ra, kia tono tangata ai matou puta noa i nga rohe o Iharaira; a, ki te kahore he kaiwhakaora mo matou, na ka puta atu matou ki a koe.

4 Katahi ka haere nga karere ki Kipea o Haora, a korerotia ana enei kupu ki nga taringa o te iwi: na nui atu te reo o te iwi katoa ki te tangi.

5 Na e haere mai ana tera a Haora i te mara, i muri i nga kau; na ka mea a Haora, Na te aha te iwi i tangi ai? Na ka korerotia ki a ia nga korero a nga tangata o Iapehe.

6 I te rongonga o Haora i enei korero, na ko te tino putanga o te wairua o te Atua ki runga ki a ia, a mura whakarere tona riri ki taua rongo.

7 Na ka mau ia ki etahi kau e rua, tapatapahia ana e ia; tukua ana ki nga rohe katoa o Iharaira, he mea kawe na nga karere, a ka mea, Ki te kahore tetahi e puta mai ki te aru i a Haora, ki te aru hoki i a Hamuera, ka peneitia ana kau. Na ka tau te wehi o Ihowa ki runga ki te iwi, a ka puta ratou ano he tangata kotahi.

8 Na ka taua ratou e ia ki Pehek; e toru rau mano nga tama a Iharaira, e toru tekau hoki mano nga tangata o Hura.

9 Na ka mea ratou ki nga karere i haere mai ra, Kia penei ta koutou ki atu ki nga tangata o Iapehe Kireara, Apopo, kia mahana te ra, ka puta he whakaoranga mo koutou. Na haere ana aua karere, a korerotia ana ki nga tangata o Iapehe; a koa ana ratou.

10 Na reira ka mea nga tangata o Iapehe, Apopo ka puta atu matou ki a koutou, a ma koutou e mea ki a matou nga mea e pai ana ki to koutou whakaaro.

11 Heoi i te aonga ake ka wehea e Haora te iwi kia toru nga ngohi. Na haere ana ratou ki waenganui o te puni i te whakaaraara o te ata, patua iho nga Amoni a mahana noa te ra; a, ko nga toenga, i marara noa atu, a kihai hoki i waiho kia tokorua o r atou e haere tahi ana.

12 Na ka mea te iwi ki a Hamuera, Ko wai tenei i mea nei, Hei kingi koia a Haora mo tatou? Homai aua tangata kia whakamatea e matou.

13 Ano ra ko Haora, E kore tetahi e whakamatea aianei; ko te ra hoki tenei i puta ai ta Ihowa whakaora mo Iharaira.

14 Katahi ka mea a Hamuera ki te iwi, Haere mai, tatou ka haere ki Kirikara, ki reira whakahou ai i te kingitanga.

15 Na haere ana te iwi katoa ki Kirikara, a whakakingitia ana a Haora ki reira ki te aroaro o Ihowa ki Kirikara. Na patua ana e ratou ki reira he patunga mo te pai ki te aroaro o Ihowa; a nui atu te koa o Haora, ratou ko nga tangata katoa o Iharair a i reira.