1 Samuel 11:3
New International Version
The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.”

New Living Translation
“Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”

English Standard Version
The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.”

Berean Standard Bible
“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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”

New American Standard Bible
So the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Allow us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”

NASB 1995
The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.”

NASB 1977
And the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”

Amplified Bible
The elders of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Give us seven days so that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out [and surrender] to you.”

Christian Standard Bible
“Don’t do anything to us for seven days,” the elders of Jabesh said to him, “and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“Don’t do anything to us for seven days,” the elders of Jabesh said to him, “and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you.”

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Elders of Lakish said to him: “Let go us seven days, and we shall send Messengers into the entire border of Israel, and we will see if there is a Savior for us, and if not, then we will come forth to you”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the men of Jabis say to him, Allow us seven days, and we will send messengers into all the coasts of Israel: if there should be no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.

Contemporary English Version
The town leaders said, "Give us seven days so we can send messengers everywhere in Israel to ask for help. If no one comes here to save us, we will surrender to you."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the ancients of Jabes said to him: Allow us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the coasts of Israel: and if there be no one to defend us, we will come out to thee.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The leaders of Jabesh told him, "Give us seven days so that we can send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. And if there's no one to save us, we'll surrender to you."

Good News Translation
The leaders of Jabesh said, "Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the land of Israel. If no one will help us, then we will surrender to you."

International Standard Version
The elders of Jabesh told him, "Leave us alone for seven days so that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then if no one delivers us, we will come out to you and surrender."

JPS Tanakh 1917
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 deliver us, we will come out to thee.'

Literal Standard Version
And [the] elderly of Jabesh say to him, “Leave us alone [for] seven days, and we send messengers into all the border of Israel: and if there is none saving us—then we have come out to you.”

Majority Standard Bible
“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.”

New American Bible
The elders of Jabesh said to him: “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”

NET Bible
The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Leave us alone for seven days so that we can send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one who can deliver us, we will come out voluntarily to you."

New Revised Standard Version
The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.”

New Heart English Bible
The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days respit, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel: and then, if there is no man to save us, we will come out to thee.

World English Bible
The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the elders of Jabesh say to him, 'Let us alone seven days, and we send messengers into all the border of Israel: and if there is none saving us -- then we have come out unto thee.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
2But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition, that I may put out everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.” 3“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.” 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 8:4
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

1 Samuel 11:10
Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you."


Treasury of Scripture

And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers to all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to you.

give us.

Jump to Previous
Alone Borders Coasts Deliver Elders Israel Jabesh Messengers Ourselves Part Rescue Respit Respite Responsible Save Seven Surrender Territory Throughout
Jump to Next
Alone Borders Coasts Deliver Elders Israel Jabesh Messengers Ourselves Part Rescue Respit Respite Responsible Save Seven Surrender Territory Throughout
1 Samuel 11
1. Nahash offers them of Jabesh Gilead a reproachful condition
4. They send messengers, and are delivered by Saul
12. Saul thereby is confirmed, and his kingdom renewed














(3) Give us seven days' respite.--This kind of proposal has always in time of war been a common one; such a request from a beleaguered fortress we meet with constantly, especially in mediaeval chronicles. It was, no doubt, made by the citizens in the hope that Saul the Benjamite, in whose election as king they had recently taken a part, would devise some means for their rescue. Between Benjamin and the city of Jabesh-gilead there had long existed the closest ties of friendship. How far back this strange link between the southern tribe and the distant frontier town dated, we know not. When Israel was summoned "as one man" (Judges 21), probably under the direction of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, to avenge on Benjamin the crime committed by the men of Gibeah, Jabesh-gilead alone, among the cities of Israel--no doubt, out of its friendship for the sinning tribe--declined to obey the imperious summons, and for this act of disobedience was rased to the ground, and its inhabitants put to the sword. The tribes, however, subsequently regretted their remorseless cruelty in their punishment of Benjamin, and feared lest their brother's name might perish out of the land; mindful, then, of the old loving feeling which existed between the city of Jabesh-gilead and the tribe of Benjamin, they gave the maidens of the ruined city spared in the judicial massacre perpetrated on the citizens, to the fighting remnant of Benjamin, still defending themselves on the impregnable Rock of the Pomegranate, "Rimmon," and did what was in their power to restore the ruined and broken tribe. Jabesh-gilead seems to have risen again from its ashes, and Benjamin once more held up its head among the tribes of Israel, and just now had given the first king to the people. No wonder, then, that the city in the hour of its sore need and deadly peril should send for succour to Gibeah in Benjamin, and to Saul, the Benjamite king. Neither the tribe nor the king failed them in their distress.

Verse 3. - The elders who govern the town know nothing of a king having been appointed, nor do they send to Samuel to ask him, as the judge, to protect them; but they request a seven days' respite, that they may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel, and Nahash, feeling sure that no combined action would be the result, grants their request, that so Israel far and wide might know of his triumph.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Hold off
הֶ֤רֶף (he·rep̄)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7503: Sink, relax

for
לָ֙נוּ֙ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

seven
שִׁבְעַ֣ת (šiḇ·‘aṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

days,”
יָמִ֔ים (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

replied
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

the elders
זִקְנֵ֣י (ziq·nê)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2205: Old

of Jabesh,
יָבֵ֗ישׁ (yā·ḇêš)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3003: Jabesh -- a place in Gilead, also an Israelite

“and let us send
וְנִשְׁלְחָה֙ (wə·niš·lə·ḥāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

messengers
מַלְאָכִ֔ים (mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

throughout
בְּכֹ֖ל (bə·ḵōl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

If
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

[there is] no one
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

to deliver
מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ (mō·wō·šî·a‘)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor

us,
אֹתָ֖נוּ (’ō·ṯā·nū)
Direct object marker | first person common plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

we will surrender
וְיָצָ֥אנוּ (wə·yā·ṣā·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

to you.”
אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to


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OT History: 1 Samuel 11:3 The elders of Jabesh said to him (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 11:2
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