1 Samuel 11:10

10 sent word to Nahash: "Tomorrow we'll give ourselves up. You can deal with us on your terms."

1 Samuel 11:10 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 11:10

Therefore the men of Jabesh said
To Nahash the Ammonite:

tomorrow we will come out unto you;
meaning if they had no help, which they were well assured they should have; but this condition they expressed not, which they were not obliged to, but left him to conclude they had no hope of any, the messengers being returned, and the next being the last of the seven days' respite; and by this artifice the Ammonites were secure, and not at all upon their guard against an approaching enemy:

and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you;
make shows of them, pluck out their eyes, or put them to death, or do what they would with them.

1 Samuel 11:10 In-Context

8 Saul took command of the people at Bezek. There were 300,000 men from Israel, another 30,000 from Judah.

9 Saul instructed the messengers, "Tell this to the folk in Jabesh Gilead: 'Help is on the way. Expect it by noon tomorrow.'"

10 sent word to Nahash: "Tomorrow we'll give ourselves up. You can deal with us on your terms."

11 Long before dawn the next day, Saul had strategically placed his army in three groups. At first light they broke into the enemy camp and slaughtered Ammonites until noon. Those who were left ran for their lives, scattering every which way.

12 The people came to Samuel then and said, "Where are those men who said, 'Saul is not fit to rule over us'? Hand them over. We'll kill them!"