XX. JONATHAN'S VICTORY

THE STORY

$65. The New King and the Old Foes (I Sam. 13:2-7, 15-17; 14:1-23)

A. THE OUTBREAK OF WAR

When Saul had reigned two years over Israel, he chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with him in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it.

And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."

And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines.

people were gathered together after Saul.

And the

And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide

themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in holds, and in pits.

Now some of the Hebrews had gone over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and

the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines.

B. JONATHAN'S BOLD ATTACK

Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armor,

"Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side." But he told not his father.

And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side. The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, "Come and let us go over unto the garrison: may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is not restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few."

it

And his armorbearer said unto him, "Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee, behold I am with thee according to thy heart."

Then said Jonathan, "Behold, we will pass over unto the men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. If they say thus unto us, 'Tarry until we come to you;' then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. But if they say thus, 'Come up unto us,' then we will go up: for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign unto us."

And both of them discovered themselves unto the

garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves." And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you a thing." And Jonathan said unto his armorbearer, 'Come up after me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel."

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And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew them after him. And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half an acre of land. And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled: and the earth quaked; so there was an exceeding great trembling.

C. THE GENERAL BATTLE

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went hither and thither.

Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, "Number now, and see who is gone from

And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. And Saul said unto Ahijah the priest, "Bring hither the ark of

God."

For the ark of God was there at that time

with the children of Israel.

And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, "Withdraw thine hand."

And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as beforetime, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth-aven.

$66. Saul's Oath and Jonathan's Danger (I Sam.

14:24-46)

A. THE OATH OF ABSTINENCE

And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies."

So none of the people tasted food. And all the