Daily Bread

Israel Without Weapons

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah^[a](A) in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding^(B) parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah^(C) in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon,^(D) and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim^(E) facing the wilderness.

¹⁹ Not a blacksmith^(F) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!^(G)” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles^[b] sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel^[c] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel^[d] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan^(H) had a sword or spear^(I) in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

²³ Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass^(J) at Mikmash.^(K) 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^(L) on the outskirts of Gibeah^(M) under a pomegranate tree^(N) in Migron.^(O) With him were about six hundred men, ³ among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s^(P) brother Ahitub^(Q) son of Phinehas, the son of Eli,^(R) the Lord’s priest in Shiloh.^(S) No one was aware that Jonathan had left.

⁴ On each side of the pass^(T) 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.^(U)

⁶ Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised^(V) men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing^(W) can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many^(X) or by few.^(Y)”

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^(Z) that the Lord has given them into our hands.^(AA)”

¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews^(AB) are crawling out of the holes they were hiding^(AC) 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.^(AD)”

So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand^(AE) 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.

Israel Routs the Philistines

¹⁵ Then panic^(AF) struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding^(AG) parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.^[e]

¹⁶ Saul’s lookouts^(AH) at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. ¹⁷ Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.

¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring^(AI) the ark^(AJ) of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)^{[f] 19} While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest,^(AK) “Withdraw your hand.”

²⁰ Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking^(AL) each other with their swords. ²¹ Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went^(AM) over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. ²² When all the Israelites who had hidden^(AN) in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. ²³ So on that day the Lord saved^(AO) Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.^(AP)