He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn't come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
"Tomorrow by the time the sun is hot"  (1 Samuel 11:9).  This was only another way of saying, "By noon tomorrow"!  The message which the men of Jabesh gave to Nahash was for the purpose of deceiving him and making him suppose that he would encounter no resistance.