1 Samuel 11:9

9 And they said to the messengers that came, Thus ye shall say to the men that be in Jabesh of Gilead, Tomorrow shall be health to you, when the sun is hot (Tomorrow, help shall come to you, when the sun is hot). Then the messengers came, and told to the men of Jabesh; the which were glad,

1 Samuel 11:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 11:9

And they said unto the messengers that came
From Jabeshgilead, that is, Saul and Samuel said to them, as follows:

thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead:
when they returned unto them, as they were now upon the departure:

tomorrow, by that time the sun be hot;
when it smites with the greatest heat, as at noon: this morrow seems not to be the next from their return home, or going from Saul, but the morrow after they were got home, and should deliver the message to those that sent them, ( 1 Samuel 11:10 ) and so Josephus ^F26 says, it was on the third day the assistance was promised them:

ye shall have help;
Saul with his army by that time would come and raise the siege: and the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; what Saul had promised, and what a numerous army he had raised, and had now upon the march for their relief, and tomorrow would be with them:

and they were glad;
it was good news and glad tidings to them; it cheered their hearts, and gave them spirit.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5.) sect. 3.

1 Samuel 11:9 In-Context

7 And he took ever either ox, and he cut them into gobbets, and he sent those into all the coasts of Israel, by the hands of messengers; and he said, Whoever goeth not out, and followeth not Saul and Samuel, so it shall be done to his oxen. Therefore the dread of the Lord went into the people (And so the fear of the Lord went into the people), and they went out as one man.

8 And Saul numbered them in Bezek; and three hundred thousand were there of the sons of Israel; and of the men of Judah were thirty thousand. (And Saul counted, or registered, them in Bezek; and there were three hundred thousand of the sons of Israel; and thirty thousand of the men of Judah.)

9 And they said to the messengers that came, Thus ye shall say to the men that be in Jabesh of Gilead, Tomorrow shall be health to you, when the sun is hot (Tomorrow, help shall come to you, when the sun is hot). Then the messengers came, and told to the men of Jabesh; the which were glad,

10 and said to Ammon, Early we shall go out to you, and ye shall do to us all that pleaseth to you. (and they said to the Ammonites, Early in the morning, we shall come out to you, and then ye can do to us all that pleaseth you.)

11 And it was done, when the morrowtide came, Saul ordained the people into three parts; and he entered into the middle (of the) tents (of Ammon) in the waking of the morrowtide, and he smote Ammon till the day was hot; forsooth the residues were scattered, so that twain together were not left in them. (And it was done, when the morning came, Saul divided the people into three parts, or groups; and they entered into the midst of the tents of the Ammonites during the morning watch, and they struck down the Ammonites until the day was hot; and the rest of them scattered, so that two of them were not left together.)