Remember, Jonathan had attacked a Philistine outpost and in response the whole Philistine army had occupied the high ground at Michmash. Remember the Philistines had a lot of influence in Israel and some Israelites actually joined the Philistine army (1 Samuel 14:21) – probably because they were expected to win.
In those days, if you went to war you expected an army to come to meet you. In this case the massive Philistine army was at a bit of a loose end. Here they were ready for a showdown with this upstart King and his son, but where were they?
Actually it was a bit unsettling. What were these Israelites up to? Had they made an alliance with one of the powers across the Jordan, or Egypt? Were they waiting for reinforcements? When would the attack come? And where from?
The days turn into weeks. While they were waiting for the war they may as well plunder the surrounding towns.
So last time we read:
1 Samuel 13:17-18
17 Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned towards Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual (N), 18 another towards Beth Horon (W), and the third towards the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the desert (E).
But they were careful, they didn’t go very far, and all the time they kept a lookout for a build-up of troops.
Map of battle
Now read 1 Samuel 14:1-3
1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armour-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.
Saul had suffered because he had made a ‘religious’ mistake. He obviously thought that having the High Priest with him, with the Ephod, would help him make right decisions in the future.
Cliffs near Michmash
Read 1 Samuel 14:4-6
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 towards Michmash, the other to the south towards Geba.
6 Jonathan said to his young armour-bearer, ‘Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.’
The Philistines had chosen high ground protected by cliffs down to the valleys below – one faced north, the other south.
Jonathan (remember, still a young teenager) had experienced victory in battle and wanted more!
Read 1 Samuel 14:7-12
7 ‘Do all that you have in mind,’ his armour-bearer said. ‘Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.’
8 Jonathan said, ‘Come on, then; we will cross over towards 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 armour-bearer, ‘Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.’
So Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, ‘Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.’
For those Philistines left in camp, time dragged. Detachments were on guard duty looking across the surrounding gorges. But no-one was going to attack up a cliff face! The days were long and boring. Then two men appeared at the bottom of the valley heading their way. ‘Hey! It’s the Israelites crawling out of their holes and coming to attack us’ someone shouted. ‘Come up here and we’ll teach you a lesson’. So the men started to climb up the cliff. At last something was happening. Hardly an attack, but perhaps the soldiers thought they might have a bit of fun with them.
Read 1 Samuel 14:13-14
13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armour-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armour-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armour-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Jonathan and his armour-bearer were totally fearless, and the small detachment guarding the cliff was just not ready for such a lethal attack.
Read 1 Samuel 14:15-18
15 Then panic struck the whole army – those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties – and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.
I like that – there was no rational explanation for it – ‘It was a panic sent by God’. It seems that God was pleased with Jonathan’s courage and stepped into the battle. But what was Saul doing?
16 Saul’s lookouts 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 armour-bearer who were not there.
18 Saul said to Ahijah, ‘Bring the ark of God.’ (At that time it was with the Israelites.)
Commentators are divided into those who think it was actually the Ark, and those who think he meant the Ephod – certainly in the next verse it would seem that the priest had his hand in the Ephod, ready to withdraw one of the yes/no stones. Saul really needs some direction now – but it seems he didn’t wait to get it.
Read 1 Samuel 14:19-23
19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, ‘Withdraw your hand.’
20 Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking 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 over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelites who had hidden 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 Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.
Whatever Saul may have thought, it was actually the Lord who saved Israel (v23). If anything, because of his inexperience in leading soldiers, Saul had actually reduced their effectiveness - as we are about to see.
Read 1 Samuel 14:24-30
24 Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!’ So none of the troops tasted food.
25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, ‘Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food today!” That is why the men are faint.’
29 Jonathan said, ‘My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?’
Look back at verse 24. What was Saul thinking?
It’s obvious he’d never led an army before.
Did he not know that an army marches on its stomach? (Attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte)
Jonathan however was simply being sensible.
Read 1 Samuel 14:31-35
31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted.
(But evening had now come, and they were released from the curse.)
32 They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. 33 Then someone said to Saul, ‘Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood in it.’
‘You have broken faith,’ he said. ‘Roll a large stone over here at once.’ 34 Then he said, ‘Go out among the men and tell them, “Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.” ’
So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this.
Note in verse 33 ‘someone’ had to remind Saul what the law of God required.
Note also the telling last phrase of verse 35.
But at least the army have now been fed.
Read 1 Samuel 14:36-39
36 Saul said, ‘Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.’
‘Do whatever seems best to you,’ they replied.
But the priest said, ‘Let us enquire of God here.’
At last Saul seems to be taking command – and he actually listened to wise advice.
37 So Saul asked God, ‘Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?’ But God did not answer him that day.
How that worked I have no idea. The priest with the ephod was there to give simple yes / no answers. To come up with no answer at all suggested that there was something seriously wrong.
38 Saul therefore said, ‘Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.’ But not one of them said a word.
Obviously some knew what Jonathan had done but no-one was going to betray him.
Read 1 Samuel 14:40-42
40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, ‘You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.’
‘Do what seems best to you,’ they replied.
41 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim.’ Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul said, ‘Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.’ And Jonathan was taken.
Now there could be no doubt as the stones were taken out of the ephod.
Read 1 Samuel 14:43-46
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, ‘Tell me what you have done.’
So Jonathan told him, ‘I tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now I must die!’
44 Saul said, ‘May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.’
45 But the men said to Saul, ‘Should Jonathan die – he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.’ So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
Saul had to agree, if there was anyone at fault it was him. Very sensibly, he decided to ‘call it a day’ and everyone went home!
Read 1 Samuel 14:47-52
47 After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. 48 He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.
49 Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his elder daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. 50 His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51 Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52 All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.
What should the role of king be? A warmonger, or something else?
Kings of Israel were appointed by God to serve as his representatives. They were expected to observe his covenant and laws, to defend the nation and engage in offensive war when deemed necessary, and to rule the people with wisdom, justice and righteousness. (Marvin A.Sweeney)
But how about ‘set a godly example – in worship’?
