*1 Samuel 14:1-23
In a daring raid, Jonathan and his armor-bearer attack a Philistine garrison, sparking a larger Israelite victory.
- Jonathan’s Bold Plan:
- Jonathan, Saul’s son, decides to take action against the Philistine garrison stationed at Geba, despite the lack of a formal battle plan from his father, King Saul.
- A Risky Venture:
- Jonathan shares his plan with his armor-bearer, expressing his faith in God’s ability to deliver victory, regardless of their limited resources.
- The plan involves exposing themselves to the Philistine outpost, inviting a response that will indicate God’s favor for their attack.
- Divine Confirmation:
- As they approach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan and his armor-bearer present themselves openly, challenging the enemy to confront them.
- The Philistines interpret this as an invitation to engage in combat, indicating to Jonathan that God has given them the signal to proceed.
- Victory Through Faith:
- In a bold display of courage, Jonathan and his armor-bearer engage the Philistines in hand-to-hand combat, defeating approximately twenty men within a half-acre of land.
- Divine Intervention:
- God intervenes on behalf of Jonathan and his companion, causing confusion and panic among the Philistines, leading to disorderly retreat and chaos within their ranks.
- Saul and his men, stationed nearby, witness the turmoil and realize that an extraordinary event is unfolding.
- A Turning Point:
- Saul’s watchmen alert him to the commotion within the Philistine camp, prompting Saul to assemble his forces for battle.
- The news spreads rapidly, and Israelites who had previously sided with the Philistines join Saul’s army, further destabilizing the Philistine forces.
- The Aftermath:
- Saul and his men pursue the retreating Philistines, resulting in a decisive victory for Israel over their adversaries.
- The outcome of Jonathan’s audacious initiative not only boosts Israel’s morale but also establishes him as a courageous leader within the nation.
1 Samuel 14:1-23 teaches us the power of faith and action. Jonathan trusted that God could bring victory, even with just a few people, and he stepped out in courage instead of waiting for the perfect conditions. Sometimes, we hesitate to move forward because we feel unprepared or outnumbered, but this story reminds us that when we rely on God, He can do great things through us. Instead of waiting for everything to be certain, we should take bold steps of faith, knowing that God is with us and can turn small efforts into big victories.
1 Samuel 14:1-23 (WEB)
14:1 Now it happened on a day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he didn’t tell his father. 2 Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men, 3 including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone.4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for there is no restraint on the LORD to save by many or by few.”7 His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go, and behold, I am with you according to your heart.”8 Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. 9 If they say this to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. 10 But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up, for the LORD has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”11 Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!” 12 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!”Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14 That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.15 There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling. 16 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered. 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count now, and see who is missing from us.” When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring God’s ark here.” For God’s ark was with the children of Israel at that time. 19 While Saul talked to the priest, the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!”20 Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, they were all striking each other with their swords in very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before and who went up with them into the camp from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.