seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 14:1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.
2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”
7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
8 Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.”
11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.”
So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”
13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”
7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
8 Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.”
11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.”
So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”
13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
So.... now I know I don't want a job as an armour-bearer. If you were the armour-bearer you had to go to the battle too... and all the way to the battle... you had to carry that armour because it was too heavy and awkward to wear.
Anyway.... Saul is under a tree plotting his next move. He has his trophy priest, complete with ephod on hand. The priest was Eli's grandson.... remember Eli? He's the one who accused Samuel's mother of being drunk when she was in deep prayer. He's the one who ignored her.... and he's the one who allowed his two sons to steal the sacrificial meat from the people right there in the Temple area..... God killed both of these sons.... but Eli's grandkids are now on on the job.
Meanwhile.... Jonathan.... Saul's son... decided to leave the meeting and go out on his own [with his armour and armour-bearer in tow]. They climbed a narrow path through a pass, with large, sharp rocks on either side.... the element of surprise was on their side. God went to work... He struck fear in the hearts of well trained, well armed, well organized troops and they scattered in fear.....
The easy English site offers some interesting information.
The events of this chapter show that Saul was not a wise king. It shows that Jonathan was braver than Saul. Also, Jonathan trusted the Lord more than Saul did. In those days, it was the custom for leaders to have meetings under special trees (see 22:6 and Judges 4:5). Today, in many hot countries, people meet in the shade of a large tree. The tree in verse 1 was a type of fruit tree. ‘Pomegranate’ is the name of its fruit. Saul was probably planning what to do next. Samuel had left Saul (13:15). But Saul had a priest from Eli’s family. God had judged Eli’s family (2:27-36 and 3:11-14) but they were still priests. An ephod was the special coat that the priest wore. The priest had the ‘Urim and Thummim’ in the front part of the ephod. The priests used them to know God’s decisions (Exodus 28:6-30). Saul had not yet asked God what to do.
Jonathan decided to attack the Philistines. We do not know why he did not tell his father. The road to Michmash went over the mountains. The Israelite army had to go along this road to attack the Philistines. The Philistines defended this road to keep their army safe from their enemies. Some of the Philistines stood on the top of the cliff. They could easily attack anyone on the road below. The cliffs had names. ‘Bozez’ meant ‘shining’ because the sun shone on it all day. ’Seneh’ meant ‘sharp’ because sharp bushes grew on it. The Israelite army was very small. The Philistine army was huge and had horses and chariots. In a battle, some soldiers wore armour. Armour was special clothes that protected the soldiers from arrows and stones, spears and swords. A soldier had a helmet (hat) to protect his head. He protected his body with a breastplate (a jacket with no sleeves). Sometimes he had armour to protect his legs. People made armour from metal or thick leather. Some soldiers had shields. A shield is a large piece of metal or hard leather that they held in front of their bodies. A soldier did not wear his armour until the battle started. So someone carried his armour to the battle for him. The soldier chose a man that he trusted.
In verse 6, the ‘heathen’ means that the Philistines did not believe in the true God of Israel. Jonathan trusted the Lord. He knew that the Lord gave success. Verses 8-11 describe the way that Jonathan discovered God’s direction. Jonathan and his young man climbed up the cliff and surprised the Philistines. They killed the small group of Philistines that were on the top of the cliff. Then God sent fear to all the Philistine army. A group of Saul’s soldiers was only 5 kilometres (3-4 miles) away. They saw the Philistines scatter. Saul did not know that Jonathan, with God’s help, caused this.
Jonathan decided to attack the Philistines. We do not know why he did not tell his father. The road to Michmash went over the mountains. The Israelite army had to go along this road to attack the Philistines. The Philistines defended this road to keep their army safe from their enemies. Some of the Philistines stood on the top of the cliff. They could easily attack anyone on the road below. The cliffs had names. ‘Bozez’ meant ‘shining’ because the sun shone on it all day. ’Seneh’ meant ‘sharp’ because sharp bushes grew on it. The Israelite army was very small. The Philistine army was huge and had horses and chariots. In a battle, some soldiers wore armour. Armour was special clothes that protected the soldiers from arrows and stones, spears and swords. A soldier had a helmet (hat) to protect his head. He protected his body with a breastplate (a jacket with no sleeves). Sometimes he had armour to protect his legs. People made armour from metal or thick leather. Some soldiers had shields. A shield is a large piece of metal or hard leather that they held in front of their bodies. A soldier did not wear his armour until the battle started. So someone carried his armour to the battle for him. The soldier chose a man that he trusted.
In verse 6, the ‘heathen’ means that the Philistines did not believe in the true God of Israel. Jonathan trusted the Lord. He knew that the Lord gave success. Verses 8-11 describe the way that Jonathan discovered God’s direction. Jonathan and his young man climbed up the cliff and surprised the Philistines. They killed the small group of Philistines that were on the top of the cliff. Then God sent fear to all the Philistine army. A group of Saul’s soldiers was only 5 kilometres (3-4 miles) away. They saw the Philistines scatter. Saul did not know that Jonathan, with God’s help, caused this.
So Jonathan and his armour-bearer are in the Philistine stronghold alone.... and no one knows.... so God has to run this plan or Jonathan and his armour-bearer are in deep trouble.....Jonathan [unlike his father] believes God will do it....
Why that's just crazy....
