Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.”
- KJV Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
- NKJV Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you.”
- NASB Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.”
- NLT The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The men of Jabesh tell Nahash they will surrender the next day, masking the coming attack. Their words lull the enemy into false security.
Overview
The townsmen's reply is a strategic ruse, letting Nahash assume an easy victory. Their confidence rests on the secret promise of Saul's rescue. The verse heightens the dramatic reversal about to unfold when the Ammonites are caught off guard.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- 1 Sam 11:2–3But 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.”
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 11:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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