1 Samuel 11:3 kjv
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.
1 Samuel 11:3 nkjv
Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you."
1 Samuel 11:3 niv
The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you."
1 Samuel 11:3 esv
The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days' respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you."
1 Samuel 11:3 nlt
"Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!" replied the elders of Jabesh. "If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms."
1 Samuel 11 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jdg 21:8-10 | And they asked, "Which one of the tribes... have come to the assembly before the LORD?" And behold, no one had come from Jabesh-Gilead... | Jabesh-Gilead's past isolation and God's intervention through others. |
| Jdg 6:34-35 | But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers... | God raising a deliverer through a call to arms for unified action. |
| 1 Sam 9:16 | "Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man... he shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines." | God's promise of a 'savior' for Israel, fulfilled by Saul. |
| 1 Sam 17:26 | "For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" | Concept of 'reproach' (similar to Nahash's demand) and God's honor. |
| Exo 3:16 | "Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers..." | Role and authority of elders in representing the community. |
| Deut 28:37 | And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the LORD will lead you away. | Consequences of dishonor and disgrace if God does not save. |
| 2 Chr 20:4 | Then Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. | Nation-wide plea for divine intervention in times of distress. |
| Psa 20:5-7 | May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners... Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. | Reliance on God for salvation, rather than human strength. |
| Psa 44:4 | You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! | Prayer for God to act as a deliverer for His people. |
| Psa 60:11-12 | Oh, grant us help against the foe, for human aid is worthless! With God we shall do valiantly; it is He who will tread down our foes. | Acknowledging human limitations and God's ultimate power to save. |
| Psa 121:1-2 | I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. | Seeking help from beyond oneself, ultimately from God. |
| Isa 30:15 | "For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.'" | Theme of God's perfect timing and quiet reliance for salvation. |
| Jer 17:5 | Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength..." | Warning against relying solely on human strength; points to the need for God's hand in deliverance. |
| Joel 2:32 | "And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved..." | Universal principle of calling upon God for salvation. |
| Rom 10:13 | For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." | Echoes Joel 2:32, highlighting the concept of a deliverer and salvation through appeal. |
| Heb 11:26 | He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | Moses' understanding of suffering reproach for divine purposes. |
| Josh 22:12-18 | When the people of Israel heard that, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them... How did you break faith... | The principle of united Israelite action against perceived threats or transgressions. |
| Jdg 20:1 | Then all the people of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled... | Example of "all Israel" assembling to address a national crisis. |
| Deut 13:16 | You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the LORD... and it shall be a heap forever... | The severe outcomes if God's people faced utter defeat without a deliverer. |
| Psa 74:10-11 | How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?... Why does your right hand stay within your bosom? | Plea against enemy reproach and a call for God's active intervention. |
1 Samuel 11 verses
1 Samuel 11 3 Meaning
The elders of Jabesh-Gilead, under siege and facing a brutal demand from Nahash the Ammonite, sought a temporary reprieve of seven days. This desperate request was a final plea to alert and mobilize all the tribes of Israel, hoping for a national intervention and a deliverer. Implicitly, it was also a test of Israel's solidarity and God's willingness to save them. Should no rescuer appear within that time, they committed to surrendering and accepting Nahash's humiliating and mutilating terms.
1 Samuel 11 3 Context
First Samuel chapter 11 opens with Nahash the Ammonite besieging Jabesh-Gilead. Nahash's brutal condition for a treaty, demanding the gouging out of every man's right eye, was intended to inflict maximum humiliation and cripple future resistance, thereby bringing great "reproach" upon all Israel. This severe act of subjugation, far from being just a local issue, carried national implications. The elders' request for seven days provided a window for one last desperate attempt to secure aid from their fellow Israelites. This period also served providentially to bring Saul, the newly chosen king (though not yet fully recognized by all), into a situation that would prove his anointing and unify the people behind him. Saul's subsequent deliverance of Jabesh-Gilead from Nahash was crucial in establishing his kingship, demonstrating God's anointing upon him through a mighty act of salvation. The entire chapter serves as a pivotal moment marking the transition from the tribal confederacy to the established monarchy.
1 Samuel 11 3 Word analysis
- "Then the elders said to him":
- "elders" (Hebrew: zeqenim): Refers to the recognized leaders and representatives of the city. These were respected men of experience who spoke for the community, reflecting a prevailing mode of governance in ancient Israel before centralized kingship. Their addressing Nahash directly highlights their attempt to negotiate terms to preserve their city and its people.
- "to him": Specifically, to Nahash, the Ammonite king. This highlights the power imbalance; they are making a desperate plea, not a strong demand.
- "Give us seven days,":
- "Give us" (Hebrew: t'nah): An imperative form, yet a humble request within the context of siege. It shows they are dependent on Nahash's mercy for even a temporary reprieve.
- "seven days" (Hebrew: shiv'at yamim): This precise number of days suggests a realistic window for dispatching messengers and receiving a response. The number seven is biblically significant, often denoting completeness or a set period for a divinely ordained event. Here, it marks a critical, limited opportunity for intervention.
- "that we may send messengers throughout all the territory of Israel;":
- "messengers" (Hebrew: mal'akhim): Individuals dispatched to convey urgent messages. The use of multiple messengers suggests the importance and wide geographical reach of their appeal.
- "throughout all the territory of Israel" (Hebrew: b'chol gevul Yisra'el): This emphasizes the national scope of their distress call. It's a cry for national unity and the activation of mutual tribal defense, which was often lacking in the era of judges. It indicates a search for a nationwide leader or combined tribal force, underscoring the political fragmentation prior to Saul's decisive action.
- "and if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.":
- "no one to save us" (Hebrew: ein moshi'a - "no deliverer"): This phrase conveys profound desperation and resignation. It implies a total absence of human and, implicitly, divine intervention. It also sets up a stark contrast for Saul's later arrival, identifying him as the very "savior" that was needed (referencing the promise of 1 Sam 9:16).
- "we will come out to you": This signifies their intention to surrender. "Coming out" meant submitting to the conqueror's terms, in this case, the gruesome gouging out of eyes and enduring national dishonor. This phrase marks their absolute last resort, a commitment made under dire circumstances if all hope of deliverance fails.
1 Samuel 11 3 Bonus section
- The request for "seven days" provided enough time for messengers to reach Saul at Gibeah (1 Sam 10:26) and for him to mobilize the tribes, illustrating God's perfect timing.
- Jabesh-Gilead's distress acted as the critical impetus for Saul to move from a more passive, hesitant acceptance of kingship to an active, Spirit-empowered leader (1 Sam 11:6).
- The people of Jabesh-Gilead's profound gratitude for Saul's rescue here forms the basis of their remarkable loyalty to him later, even in his death (1 Sam 31:11-13; 2 Sam 2:4-7).
- The demanded disfigurement (gouging out the right eye) would not only have physically incapacitated warriors but also symbolically shamed all Israel, reflecting an extreme form of public humiliation designed to crush their spirit and signify total subjugation. This was an affront to the living God who protects His people.
1 Samuel 11 3 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the dire crisis facing Jabesh-Gilead and, by extension, all Israel, setting the stage for Saul's emergence as a true king. The elders' request for "seven days" reveals a flicker of hope, not in their own strength, but in the potential for national solidarity and, implicitly, divine intervention through a designated deliverer. Their plea for "someone to save us" is more than a cry for military aid; it's an unconscious yearning for a God-appointed leader to rally Israel and defend its honor, which Nahash intended to publicly defile. The willingness to surrender ("we will come out to you") underscores the gravity of their situation and the deep shame they anticipated if help did not arrive. This strategic delay inadvertently serves God's purpose by allowing sufficient time for the Spirit-empowered Saul to hear of the crisis and act decisively, fulfilling his calling and validating his nascent kingship through an undeniable act of salvation. The episode thus highlights divine providence at work even amidst human desperation.