1 Samuel 11:3
in 1 Samuel 11“Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh, “and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.
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.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseGive us seven days respite - Such promises are frequently made by besieged places: “We will surrender if not relieved in so many days;” and such conditions are generally received by the besiegers.
This site's exposition
Hold off for seven days
on 1 Samuel 11:3-4
The elders ask for seven days, which Adam Clarke calls the standard form such offers took, and send messengers "throughout Israel" rather than to Saul by name. John Gill observes that this is the first place Scripture calls the town Gibeah of Saul, a name fixed to him before he has done anything to earn it.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
And the elders of Jabesh said to him, etc. The more prudent and cautious ones in faith said to the heretics, in whom they recognized the voice of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, just as Christ spoke differently in …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.
proposed
4. Who are the inhabitants of Jabesh, that is, of "the dried," except those who maintain the discipline of an emaciated flesh through long practice of virtue? For many begin to resist gluttony, but when they start to grow weary from the labor of abstinence, they incline themselves back to the habit of their accustomed greediness. They desire, as it were, to enter the city of Jabesh and become its citizens, but since they cannot endure the torment of dried and hungering flesh, they can by no means become its inhabitants.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But there was a providence in it, that his security might be his infatuation and ruin. Notice is sent of this to Gibeah. They said they would send messengers to all the coasts of Israel (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And the elders of Jabesh said,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The elders - Observe the universal form of civil government among the Israelites, by elders (Jdg 8:14, Jdg 8:16, etc.).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Each right eye. Explain it literally. 1 As a symbol of everlasting defeat. But the Midrash Aggadah [explains it figuratively, that he said,] "Bring me your Torah scroll which was given by the right hand [of God], 2 See Devarim:2.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלָ֜יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| זִקְנֵ֣י | ziknei | [the] elders of | H2205 → | 178 times |
| יָבֵ֗ישׁ | yaveish | Jabesh | H3003 → | 24 times |
| הֶ֤רֶף | heref | refrain | H7503 → | |
| לָ֙נוּ֙ | lanu | to <the> us | ||
| שִׁבְעַ֣ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִ֔ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| וְנִשְׁלְחָה֙ | venishlechah | so let us send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| מַלְאָכִ֔ים | malakhim | messengers | H4397 → | 213 times |
| בְּכֹ֖ל | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| גְּב֣וּל | gevul | [the] territory of | H1366 → | 240 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| אֵ֥ין | ʾein | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ | moshia' | [is one who] delivers | H3467 → | 206 times |
| אֹתָ֖נוּ | ʾotanu | <obj.> us | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וְיָצָ֥אנוּ | veyatzanu | and we will come out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ | ʾeleikha | to you | H413 → | 5510 times |
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
אֵלָ֜יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
זִקְנֵ֣י[the] elders of
zikneiH2205 →178 times
יָבֵ֗ישׁJabesh
yaveishH3003 →24 times
הֶ֤רֶףrefrain
herefH7503 →
לָ֙נוּ֙to <the> us
lanu
שִׁבְעַ֣תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִ֔יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
וְנִשְׁלְחָה֙so let us send
venishlechahH7971 →845 times
מַלְאָכִ֔יםmessengers
malakhimH4397 →213 times
בְּכֹ֖לin all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
גְּב֣וּל[the] territory of
gevulH1366 →240 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
אֵ֥יןthere not
ʾeinH369 →789 times
מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ[is one who] delivers
moshia'H3467 →206 times
אֹתָ֖נוּ<obj.> us
ʾotanuH853 →10935 times
וְיָצָ֥אנוּand we will come out
veyatzanuH3318 →1067 times
אֵלֶֽיךָ׃to you
ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.