732 - Israel has a Military Disadvantage, but Jonathan has a Daring Plan

Israel has a Military Disadvantage, but Jonathan has a Daring Plan

Samuel left Gilgal and went on his way… but the remaining troops went with Saul, to meet the army of the Philistines. 

They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah, in the land of Benjamin. 

When Saul counted the men who were still with him, he found only 600 were left! 

Saul and Jonathan… and the troops with them, were staying at Geba, in the land of Benjamin. 

The Philistines set up their camp at Micmash. 

Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. 

One went north toward Ophrah, in the land of Shual, …another went west, to Beth-horon, …and the third moved toward the border, above the valley of Zeboim, near the wilderness. 

There were no blacksmiths, in the land of Israel, in those days. 

The Philistines wouldn’t allow them, for fear that they would make swords and spears, for the Hebrews. 

So, whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. 

The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce of silver, for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, …and an eighth of an ounce, for sharpening an ax, a sickle, or an ox goad. 

So, on the day of the battle, none, of the people of Israel, had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan. 

The pass, at Micmash, had meanwhile been secured, by a contingent of the Philistine army. 

 

One day, Jonathan said to his armor bearer, 

“Come on, let’s go over, to where the Philistines have their outpost.” 

But, Jonathan did not tell his father …what he was doing. 

Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped, on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree, at Migron. 

Among Saul’s men was Ahijah, the priest, who was wearing the ephod, the priestly vest. 

Ahijah was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord, who had served at Shiloh. 

No one realized, that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp. 

To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down, between two rocky cliffs, that were called Bozez and Seneh. 

The cliff, on the north, was in front of Micmash, and the one, on the south, was in front of Geba. 

“Let’s go across, to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. 

“Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. 

He can win a battle, whether He has many warriors or only a few!” 

“Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. 

“I’m with you, completely, whatever you decide.” 

“All right then,” Jonathan told him. 

“We will cross over …and let them see us.

If they say to us, 

‘Stay where you are …or we’ll kill you,’ then, we will stop …and not go up to them. 

But, if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then, we will go up. 

That will be the Lord’s sign, that He will help us defeat them.” 

When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, 

“Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” 

Then, the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, 

“Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” 

“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!” 

So, they climbed up, using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, …and his armor bearer killed those, who came behind them. 

They killed some twenty men, in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre. 

Suddenly, panic broke out, in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. 

And just then, an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified. 

1 Samuel 13:15–14:15 (NLT)

Praise be to God!