One prince. One armourbearer. One cliff. The LORD gave Israel a great victory through two men who trusted Him.
Not a Mighty Men Story
This is not a story of David's mighty men. It comes from the reign of King Saul, before David ever came to Saul's court. Its hero is Jonathan, Saul's son, who later became David's closest friend.
Two Men Against a Garrison
The Philistines held a garrison at the pass of Michmash. Saul sat back in Gibeah “under a pomegranate tree,” with “about six hundred men” (1 Samuel 14:2).
Jonathan did not wait. He took only the young man who carried his armor. “But he told not his father” (1 Samuel 14:1).
Many or Few
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.
— 1 Samuel 14:6 (KJV)
That is the heart of the story. God does not need a big army.
The Sharp Rocks Bozez and Seneh
Between Jonathan and the enemy stood two crags of rock.
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.
— 1 Samuel 14:4 (KJV)
The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
— 1 Samuel 14:5 (KJV)
The Philistines held the high ground. Two men would have to climb up to them.
From the PsalmsFor by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
— Psalm 18:29 (KJV)
The Sign They Agreed On
Jonathan's armourbearer was all in: “Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart” (1 Samuel 14:7).
Before they moved, the two agreed on a sign from the LORD.
Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these 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 a sign unto us.
— 1 Samuel 14:8–10 (KJV)
“Come Up to Us”
The two showed themselves. The Philistines laughed: “Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves” (1 Samuel 14:11). Then came the very words they had agreed on: “Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing” (1 Samuel 14:12).
Jonathan knew. “Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
Upon His Hands and Upon His Feet
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.
— 1 Samuel 14:13 (KJV)
No path. No easy way up. Jonathan climbed first, with his armourbearer right behind. At the top they fought side by side, and about twenty men fell (1 Samuel 14:14).
The Earth Quaked
Then God moved. There was trembling in the whole Philistine army, “and the earth quaked” (1 Samuel 14:15). The enemy turned on each other: “every man's sword was against his fellow” (1 Samuel 14:20). Israelites who had been hiding in mount Ephraim came out and joined the chase (1 Samuel 14:22).
So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.
— 1 Samuel 14:23 (KJV)
From the PsalmsThere is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
— Psalm 33:16 (KJV)
Jonathan and David
Years later Jonathan's soul “was knit with the soul of David” (1 Samuel 18:1). Read on in David and King Saul and David and Jonathan.
41 bold coloring pages of King David's warriors, straight from 2 Samuel 23 and 1 Chronicles 11. Ages 5–99+. Paperback, $9.99. See inside the book.
Get the Coloring BookQuestions About Jonathan at Michmash
Where is the story of Jonathan and his armourbearer in the Bible?
1 Samuel 14:1–23, during the reign of King Saul.
Is Jonathan at Michmash a story of David's mighty men?
No. It happened in Saul's reign, before David came to Saul's court. Jonathan was Saul's son and later David's friend.
What were Bozez and Seneh?
Two sharp rocks on either side of the passage to the Philistine garrison, one northward over against Michmash and the other southward over against Gibeah (1 Samuel 14:4–5).
What sign did Jonathan and his armourbearer agree on?
If the Philistines said 'Tarry until we come to you,' they would stand still; if they said 'Come up unto us,' they would go up, for the LORD had delivered them into their hand (1 Samuel 14:8–10).
What did Jonathan say about many or few?
'There is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few' (1 Samuel 14:6).
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