1.
Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
2.
And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;
3.
And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I-chabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
4.
And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5.
The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
6.
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7.
And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
8.
Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.
9.
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.
10.
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 a sign unto us.
11.
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.
12.
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
A REAL HERO
‘And Jonathan said to his armourbearer, Come up after me.’
1 Samuel 14:12
I. In marked contrast to the dispirited father is the splendid courage of his heroic son. There are great gulfs between some Bible fathers and their sons. But never was there a wider separation between a father’s heart and the heart of his child than there is in our Lesson. Saul was dispirited, Jonathan was bold. Saul was quite hopeless, Jonathan was flushed with a sure hope in God. Saul only wanted to get alone and brood, but Jonathan was ready for all hazards. You see the separating work of sin. It was Saul’s sin that had sundered the two hearts. It was not because Saul was ageing and Jonathan was young; and it was not because the one was father and the other child, that there lay such a gulf between the two. It was because the hope and joy and swift obedience of Jonathan were distant by a whole world from the disobedience of Saul. And sin is always separating like that. We sometimes talk of social sins. But every sin at last is anti social.
II. Jonathan then was full of hope and courage.—None but a hero would have ever dreamed of going single-handed against the Philistines. And when we read about the strength of their position, and the almost inaccessible cliffs below them, the very thought of attack might seem absurd. Now the Bible never encourages reckless daring. It is no record of madcap escapades. And had this been a wild adventure of hot-blooded youth we should never have had the story of it here. What lifts it up out of the rank of escapades is faith. It roots in a noble and reasonable trust in God. Jonathan was inspired and moved by the Spirit of the Highest. His bold adventure then, crowned by success, is but one of a thousand that have helped the world. It is through the lonely daring of faith that we are saved.
III. The whole conduct of Jonathan in this episode reveals the depth of the trust in God that filled him.—We note it, for example, in his silence. He never told his father what he was doing. He felt that Saul would never have understood. He whispered no word of it to the army of Israel. They would have called it an act of rashest folly. Jonathan consulted not with flesh and blood when the Spirit of God called him to his task. ‘He had no swagger about him,’ said a war correspondent of General Gordon; ‘he sauntered past me and among the men as silent as a statue, and as quiet as a civilian.’ Deep faith is silent. True trust is never noisy. Like a strong river, it covers up the boulders round which the shallow stream stops to fret and chatter. I daresay David was thinking of his dear friend, long since slain on the heights of Gilboa, when the chords of his harp were swept to that undying music, ‘ Be still and know that I am God.’
IV. The strength of his trust too comes out in another way.—Jonathan distrusted all military stratagem. He only asked for a sign from God. He went up, openly, to the base of the Philistine stronghold, and at the sign of God, he made the assault. Does not that show that he knew that it was God’s work? He was to win through the sovereignty of the Lord, and not through the stratagem of man. And Jonathan found, as in like perils a thousand soldiers of the Cross have found, that the foolishness of God is wiser than men.
Illustrations
(1) ‘One thing should be emphasised—the character of Jonathan as the story reveals it. We see here the same soldierly ability as marked Saul in his original choice of Michmash. From his father the son had inherited his dash and reckless courage as well as his cleverness in strategy. But there was that in Jonathan which last Lesson showed wanting in Saul—spiritual understanding and faith in God. The sixth verse is the key to the whole passage. Jonathan counted on the Lord to work for him, while Saul took matters into his own hand. There are no words more famous in the Old Testament than these: “There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.” And as Jonathan trusted in the Lord, so the faithful armourbearer trusted in Jonathan, as verse 7 shows. Faith in God inspires confidence, and every one is strengthened by a heroic religious soul.’
(2) ‘Let no disciple of Jesus undertake any enterprise without the witness of the Spirit with his spirit that God has sent him. It was according to that dispensation that Gideon and Jonathan should ask signs; but in this last time—when the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true; and as the anointing which the believing soul has received teacheth him all things, and is truth and is no lie—we get our assurance of the mind of God not by asking the evidence of external signs, but by the inward witness of the Spirit with our spirit, first that we are sons of God, and then concerning every truth which He reveals unto us, and every service which He calls us to fulfil.’
13.
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.
14.
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
15.
And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
16.
And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
17.
Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.
18.
And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
19.
And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.
20.
And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
21.
Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, 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.
22.
Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23.
So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.
24.
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 evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
25.
And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.
26.
And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
27.
But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28.
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.
29.
Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
30.
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31.
And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.
32.
And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.
33.
Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
34.
And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.
35.
And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.
36.
And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
37.
And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
38.
And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.
39.
For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.
40.
Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.
41.
Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.
42.
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
43.
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
44.
And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.
45.
And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
46.
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
47.
So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.
48.
And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
49.
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-shua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:
50.
And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
51.
And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52.
And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.