So David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead,—and said unto them—Blessed, be ye of Yahweh, that ye did this lovingkindness unto your lord, unto Saul, and buried him.
Then said Naomi, to her daughter-in-law—Blessed, be he of Yahweh, who hath not left off his lovingkindness to the living, and to the dead. And Naomi said to her—Near to us, is the man, of our own kinsmen, is he!
And he said—Blessed, be thou of Yahweh, my daughter, for thou hast made thy last lovingkindness better than the first,—in not following after young men, whether poor, or rich.
Then said Naomi to her two daughters-in- law: Go return, each one to the house of her mother,—Yahweh deal with you in lovingkindness, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
So they said, What one of the tribes of Israel is there, that hath not come up unto Yahweh at Mizpah? And lo! no man had come into the camp, out of Jabesh-gilead, unto the convocation:
And the men said unto her, Our souls in your stead unto death, if ye utter not this our business,—so shall it be, when Yahweh shall give us the land, that we will deal with thee in lovingkindness and in faithfulness.
Then came up Nahash the Ammonite, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead,—and all the man of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Solemnise with us a covenant, that we may serve thee.
So they said unto the messengers who had come—Thus, shall ye surely say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, shall ye have deliverance, about the time the son is hot. And, when the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.
Only yesterday, camest thou, and, today, shall I let thee wander with us, on our journey, seeing that, I, am going, whithersoever I may? Return and take back thy brethren with thee, and may Yahweh deal with thee in lovingkindness and faithfulness.
So David went and fetched the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the owners of Jabesh-gilead,—who stole them from the broadway of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day when the Philistines had smitten Saul in Gilboa;