1 Samuel 11 9

1 Samuel 11:9 kjv

And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

1 Samuel 11:9 nkjv

And they said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.' " Then the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

1 Samuel 11:9 niv

They told the messengers who had come, "Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.'?" When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated.

1 Samuel 11:9 esv

And they said to the messengers who had come, "Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation.'" When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad.

1 Samuel 11:9 nlt

So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, "We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!" There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!

1 Samuel 11 verses

1 Samuel 11 9 Meaning

This verse is the vital message delivered by the messengers sent by Saul to the men of Jabesh-Gilead. It is a promise of imminent and certain deliverance from the Ammonite threat. Facing brutal terms of surrender (gouging out of right eyes), the people of Jabesh-Gilead were given a specific timeline and an assurance of complete salvation. It signals God's swift and decisive intervention through His newly anointed king, Saul.

1 Samuel 11 9 Context

Chapter 11 of 1 Samuel narrates Saul's decisive first military campaign as king. Prior to this verse, Nahash the Ammonite has besieged Jabesh-Gilead, threatening to gouge out the right eyes of its inhabitants as a sign of humiliation and control. The men of Jabesh-Gilead sent messengers to seek help from the rest of Israel. When the messengers arrived in Gibeah of Saul, they relayed the desperate situation, causing great distress among the people. Saul, filled with the Spirit of God (1 Sam 11:6), was moved to act with righteous indignation. He gathered the tribes of Israel, demonstrating his newly recognized leadership and divine empowerment. This verse is the direct answer, the assurance of coming relief, sent back by Saul's messengers to the beleaguered city, before the actual military operation begins.

1 Samuel 11 9 Word analysis

• So they told: Hebrew: ויאמרו (vai-yom'ru) - "and they said" or "so they said/told." This indicates the messengers (from Saul) communicating the new king's resolve and promise back to Jabesh-Gilead, creating a sense of immediate action and authority.
• the men of Jabesh-Gilead: These were the individuals directly under threat, facing physical mutilation and utter despair. The specificity emphasizes that the message was a direct answer to their cry for help, highlighting the imminent relief from their suffering.
• saying: Hebrew: לאמר (le'mor) - A common infinitive construct in Hebrew narrative, often used to introduce direct speech or a further explanation.
• Tomorrow: Hebrew: מחר (machar) - A specific and immediate timeframe. It injects powerful hope and expectation into a dire situation. This direct temporal marker underscores God's ability to intervene swiftly and precisely, preventing a protracted period of anxiety and doubt.
• by the time the sun is hot: Hebrew: כחם השמש (k'ḥom ha'shemesh) - Lit. "at the heat of the sun." This phrase designates mid-morning to midday, typically around 10 AM to 12 PM, when the sun's warmth is most intense. It indicates a precise, almost surgical, timing for the rescue. This level of detail further solidifies the promise's certainty and highlights the planned, decisive nature of the coming attack. It contrasts the extreme heat and pressure of their siege with the burning intensity of a swift and victorious assault.
• you shall have deliverance: Hebrew: והיתה לכם תשועה (ve'haytah lakhem teshu'ah)
  • you shall have: A definitive future tense, expressing absolute certainty and divine promise. It conveys assurance from the new king, empowered by God.
  • deliverance: Hebrew: תשועה (teshu'ah) - This robust term means salvation, deliverance, victory, help, or safety. It is a powerful theological concept often tied to God's redemptive acts. Here, it signifies not just escape from Nahash, but a comprehensive and complete victory, signaling God's saving power manifested through Saul. This implies God is providing rescue and overcoming the enemy, restoring well-being to His people.

1 Samuel 11 9 Bonus section

• The Power of the Word: The spoken promise in this verse was as potent as the impending military action itself. It immediately instilled hope and morale, which are crucial elements in overcoming overwhelming fear. This aligns with biblical principles where God's word (or a word given by His anointed) brings forth what it declares.
• The Name Connection: The Hebrew word for "deliverance," teshu'ah, shares the same root as the names "Joshua" (Yehoshua) and "Jesus" (Yeshua), both meaning "The LORD saves" or "Salvation of the LORD." This linguistic connection highlights that Saul's act of deliverance, empowered by God, was a manifestation of God's unchanging nature as the Savior and Deliverer of His people.
• Contrasting Powers: This verse stands in stark contrast to Nahash's demand for mutilation. It's a clear polemic against the brutal practices of the surrounding nations and establishes Yahweh as the compassionate and powerful God who protects His people from such inhumanity. The immediate, decisive intervention proves God's active involvement in the affairs of Israel.

1 Samuel 11 9 Commentary

1 Samuel 11:9 is a pivotal declaration of hope amidst despair, marking Saul's confident assertion of his Spirit-empowered kingship. Sent to the desperate men of Jabesh-Gilead, who faced brutal mutilation from the Ammonites, this verse promises an extremely prompt and assured divine intervention. The term "tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot" specifies not just the day, but the very time, instilling absolute certainty and illustrating God's precise timing for salvation. The word "deliverance" (teshu'ah) transcends mere escape, pointing to a decisive victory divinely orchestrated. This promise not only uplifted the besieged but also showcased Saul's leadership, confirming his anointing as God's chosen deliverer and demonstrating God's faithfulness to protect His people from their oppressors. It established Saul's authority through a clear, fulfilled promise of powerful intervention.