1 Samuël 11:3

3 Toen zeiden tot hem de oudsten Jabes: Laat zeven dagen van ons af, dat wij boden zenden in al de landpalen van Israel; is er dan niemand, die ons verlost, zo zullen wij tot u uitgaan.

1 Samuël 11:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 11:3

And the elders of Jabesh said
The magistrates and principal men of the city:

give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers to all the
coasts of Israel;
that is, cease from besieging them, from throwing in darts into the city, or any other missive weapons, and from attempting to break open the gates, or break down the walls of it, and storm it; such a space of time they desire, which was as little as could be granted, to go and return in, and without this it would not be a reproach to all Israel, if they were ill used by them, since they had no knowledge of their case, nor time to come up for their assistance:

and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee;
and submit to be used at thy pleasure. And it seems that this was granted by Nahash out of a bravado, and to reproach and insult all Israel, and bid them defiance; with whom he sought to quarrel, having a design upon their land, and knowing very well their condition, being awed by the Philistines; and having just chosen a king, and he an inexperienced man in the affairs of war, and had no army; nor was it likely that one could be assembled in so short a time, and come to the relief of this people, and therefore he thought himself safe enough in granting their request.

1 Samuël 11:3 In-Context

1 Toen toog Nahas, de Ammoniet, op, en belegerde Jabes in Gilead. En al de mannen van Jabes zeiden tot Nahas: Maak een verbond met ons, zo zullen wij u dienen.

2 Doch Nahas, de Ammoniet, zeide tot hen: Mits dezen zal ik een verbond met ulieden maken, dat ik u allen het rechteroog uitsteke; en dat ik deze schande op gans Israel legge.

3 Toen zeiden tot hem de oudsten Jabes: Laat zeven dagen van ons af, dat wij boden zenden in al de landpalen van Israel; is er dan niemand, die ons verlost, zo zullen wij tot u uitgaan.

4 Als de boden te Gibea-Sauls kwamen, zo spraken zij deze woorden voor de oren van het volk. Toen hief al het volk zijn stem op, en weende.

5 En ziet, Saul kwam achter de runderen uit het veld, en Saul zeide: Wat is den volke, dat zij wenen? Toen vertelden zij hem de woorden der mannen van Jabes.