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JONATHAN’S SECOND ATTACK ON THE PHILISTINES

I Samuel 14:1-23

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline the section:

 

i.                    Jonathan’s Plan (I Sam. 14:1)

ii.                  Saul’s Position (I Sam. 14:2-3)

iii.                Mountain Passage (I Sam. 14:4-5)

iv.                Faith’s Proposal (I Sam. 14:6-10)

v.                  Faith’s Payoff (I Sam. 14:11-15)

vi.                Saul’s Proposal (I Sam. 14:16-19)

vii.              God’s Preservation (I Sam. 14:20-23)

 

2.      To whom did Jonathan say:  “Come, and let us go over to the Philistine’s garrison, that is on the other side.” (I Sam. 14:1)

 

Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan 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…

 

A.    The young man that bare his armour

 

B.      Many of the top warriors were assigned armour-bearers.  These men carried extra weapons of warfare, including a shield in case weapons were lost, broken, etc.

 

C.     LESSON:  We have a youth who is full of energy and filled with faith ready to go against the enemy and attack.  However, the leader, in this case, Jonathan’s father, was tarrying in Migron.  We see the gap between the generations that seems to always be present from one age to another.

 

D.    Jonathan is eager.  “Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison.”

 

3.      T – F    Jonathan told all of his plans to his father (I Sam. 14:1)

 

…but he told not his father.

 

A.    False

 

B.      Why?  His father does not seem eager to enter into battle with the enemy.  Had Jonathan revealed his plans, his father may have rejected the idea.

 

C.     Clarke:  “This action of Jonathan was totally contrary to the laws of war; no military operation should be undertaken without the knowledge and command of the general” (e-sword).

 

4.      Where did Saul tarry? (I Sam. 14:2)

 

And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah…

 

A.    The uttermost part of Gibeah.  It appears that he had withdrawn his troops from the battlefront at this time.

 

B.      This was a little more than an hour from the place where Jonathan was at the time. 

 

5.      What kind of tree was Saul under? (I Sam. 14:2)

 

…under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron…

 

A.    Pomegranate tree

 

Related image

 

6.      How many people were with Saul? (I Sam. 14:2)

 

…and the people that were with him were about six hundred men.

 

A.    Six hundred men

 

7.      Who was the Lord’s priest in Shiloh at the time? (I Sam. 14:3)

 

And Ahiah, the son of Ahibub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod.

 

A.    Ahiah who appears to be with Saul at this time. 

 

B.      Saul may have required his presence since Samuel had withdrawn from him due to his sin at Gilgal.

 

C.     We could go into an in-depth study of the importance of this reference.

1.      Ahiah was the great grandson of Eli.

2.      Some think that he is the same man as Ahimelech in I Samuel 22:9.  Others believe that they may have been brothers. 

3.      If he is one and the same, he will ultimately be slain by Saul along with the other priests of Nob.

 

8.      T – F    And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

 

…And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

 

A.    True

 

9.      What were the names of the two sharp rocks through which Jonathan passed? (I Sam. 14:4)

 

And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines garrison, there as 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 was Seneh.

 

A.    Bozez:  shining, “surpassing white,” glistening

 

B.      Seneh:  thorn, thorny

 

10.  Where were these two rocks situated? (I Sam. 14:5)

 

The forefront of the one was situated northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

 

A.    Northward over against Michmash

 

B.      Southward over against Gibeah

 

Image result for between Gibeah and Michmash, the sharp rocks         Image result for between Gibeah and Michmash, the sharp rocks

 

11.  Who did Jonathan say could work on their behalf? (I Sam. 14:6)

 

And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised:  it may be that the Lord will work for us…

 

A.    The Lord

 

12.  “There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few” (I Sam. 14:6).

 

A.    Restraint:

1.      Strong (4622):  hindrance

2.      BDB:  restraint, hindrance

 

B.     LESSON:  Jonathan understood the power of the Almighty God.  He knew God was not confined by the number of troops that man had mustered to fight.  God could save by many or by few.  When we are few in number, we need to hold this verse dear.

 

13.  T – F    Jonathan’s armorbearer was fearful of following Jonathan. (I Sam. 14:7)

 

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

 

A.    False

 

B.      The armorbearer was also a man of courage.  He was completely loyal to his master. 

 

C.     LESSON:  We have many unnamed people in the Bible who are wonderful examples for us.  Mighty men sometimes need the assistance of others who are willing to remain unknown in order to defeat the enemy.

 

14.  T – F    Jonathan was going to discover himself to his enemies. (I Sam. 14:8)

 

Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and will discover ourselves unto them.

 

A.    True

 

B.      This act proved that he trusted God to the fullest.  It would be two versus a garrison of Philistines.

 

15.  What would Jonathan do if the enemy said:  “Tarry until we come to you”? (I Sam. 14:9)

 

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.

 

A.    He would remain still and would not go up.

 

16.  What would Jonathan do if the enemy said:  “Come up unto us”? (I Sam. 14:10)

 

But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up…

 

A.    They would go up 

 

17.  Which one of the two statements was a sign that the Lord had delivered them into their hands? (I Sam. 14:10)

 

…for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand:  and this shall be a sign unto us.

 

A.    Come up unto us

 

B.      Jonathan made this the sign that it was God’s will for them to fight.

 

C.     Signs

1.      Keil and Delitzsch:  “It was not tempting God for Jonathan to fix upon such a sign by which to determine the success of his enterprise; for he did it in the exercise of his calling, when fighting not for personal objects, but for the kingdom of God, which the uncircumcised were threatening to annihilate, and in the most confident belief that the Lord would deliver and preserve His people. Such faith as this God would not put to shame” (e-sword).

2.      Signs were often relied upon by OT testament characters (See Gen. 24:12).  In the New Testament, there is no authorization to seek God’s will by signs.  In fact, the Jews are spoken of derogatorily for desiring signs (See I Cor. 1:22)

 

For the Jews require a sign…

 

18.  What did the Philistines first say when Jonathan and his armorbearer discovered themselves to them? (I Sam. 14:11)

 

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.

 

A.    The Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

 

B.      Remember, they were fearful and fled when the Philistines were gathering together against Gibeah (See I Sam. 13:6b)

 

…then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits

 

19.  T – F    The Philistines said:  “Come up unto us, and we will show you a thing.” (I Sam. 14:12)

 

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.

 

A.    True

 

B.      I am always amazed at the providential hand of God in the affairs of man.  The Philistines did not know of Jonathan’s conversation with his armorbearer.  They did not know that their words would bring Jonathan up to fight and win a victory over them.

 

20.  T – F    Jonathan was sure the Lord had delivered the Philistines into Israel’s hand (I Sam. 14:12)

 

And Jonathan said unto his amorbearer, Come up after me:  for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

 

A.    True

 

B.      NOTE:  There are many commentators who believe that Jonathan was receiving divine revelation from God at this time.  The text, however, never indicates such.

 

21.  “…and they fell before Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew after him (I Sam. 14:13)

 

 

 

22.  How many men did Jonathan and his armorbearer slay? (I Sam. 14:14)

 

And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men…

 

A.    About 20 men

 

B.      Think of that!  This was 10 each.

 

23.  How large of an area of land were they scattered upon? (I Sam. 14:14)

 

…within as it were a half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

 

A.    Half acre of land

 

B.     An acre is covers 43,560 square feet, so a 208.7 feet by 208.7 feet square.  A half-acre would be approximately 6 high school basketball courts put together.

 

24.  How did the Philistines react to the defeat? (I Sam. 14:15)

 

And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among the people:  the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled…

 

A.    They trembled

 

25.  Define:  trembling

 

A.    Strong (2731):  fear anxiety

 

B.      BDB:  fear, anxiety, trembling, extreme anxiety, (anxious) care

 

C.     Clarke says:  “They were terrified and panic-struck…” (e-sword).

 

D.    K&D:  “Their terror and flight are perfectly conceivable, if we consider that the outpost of the Philistines was so stationed upon the top of the ridge of the steep mountain wall, that they would not see how many were following, and the Philistines could not imagine it possible that two Hebrews would have ventured to climb the rock alone and make an attack upon them” (e-sword).

 

26.  T – F    And the earth quaked (I Sam. 14:15)

 

…and the earth quaked:  so it was a very great trembling.

 

A.    True

 

B.      An earthquake would add to their panic.  They would not be able to stop and try to comprehend that their foe only consisted of two men.

 

27.  What did the watchmen of Saul see? (I Sam. 14:16)

 

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.

 

A.    They saw the large army of the Philistines departing, melting away.

 

B.      They also witnessed their beating each other down as they trying to escape. 

 

28.  What did Saul immediately do to the people? (I Sam. 14:17)

 

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

 

A.    Saul must have thought that someone had initiated the attack on the Philistines.  He desired to know who it was.

 

B.      When he numbered his forces, he found that two men were missing.

 

29.  Who did Saul find missing? (I Sam.14:17)

 

And when they numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.

 

A.    Jonathan and his armorbearer

 

B.      This is the second attack that Jonathan has initiated on his own.

 

30.  What did Saul ask Ahiah to bring to the battle? (I Sam. 14:18)

 

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.

 

A.    The ark of God.

 

B.      The ark had been in Kirjath-jearim. 

1.      It may have been removed for safe-keeping from the Philistines.

2.      It could have been that Saul asked for the ark since Samuel had departed from him.  He wanted the presence of God with him if needed.  Now, it was needed.

 

31.  T – F    The children of Israel brought the ark from Shiloh to Gibeah. (I Sam. 14:19)

 

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.

 

A.    False

 

B.      The battle was so intense that Saul did not feel he had time to go through the process of securing the ark for the battle field.  Thus, he left it off.

 

32.  How is the defeat of the Philistines described? (I Sam. 14:20)

 

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.

 

A.    It is described as “a very great discomfiture.

 

 

 

B.      Discomfiture

1.      Strong (4103):  confusion or uproar

2.      BDB:  tumult, confusion, disquietude, destruction, trouble, vexation, disturbance, panic

 

33.  T – F    The Israelites who had surrendered to the Philistines were killed by the Israelites (I Sam.

(14:21)

 

Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp of the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

 

A.    True

 

B.     LESSON:  Some people practice situation ethics.  They will allow themselves with the side of the victors regardless of which side is winning.  Some refer to them as opportunists.

 

34.  T – F    The Israelites who hid in Ephraim came out of hiding and fought in the battle. (I Sam.

14:22)

 

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.

 

A.    True

 

B.     LESSON:  Courage is easy to muster when the enemy is being defeated.

 

35.  “So the Lord saved Israel that day…” (I Sam. 14:23)

 

A.    It was Jonathan and his armorbearer who had done the fighting.  However, the Lord had increased the intensity of panic with an earthquake.

 

B.      God was fighting alongside these two faithful men.

 

36.  Where did the battle finally pass over to? (I Sam. 14:23)

 

…and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.

 

A.    Beth-aven

 

Image result for Beth-aven

SAUL’S CURSE & SAUL’S ENEMIES

I Samuel 14:24-52

Homework

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline the section:

 

viii.            I Samuel 14:24

ix.                I Samuel 14:25-26

x.                  I Samuel 14:27-30

xi.                I Samuel 14:31-35

xii.              I Samuel 14:36-44

xiii.            I Samuel 14:45-46

xiv.            I Samuel 47-52

 

2.      Why were the men of Israel distressed? (I Sam. 14:24)

 

3.      How long would the people be without food? (I Sam. 14:24)

 

4.      T – F    Some of the people disregarded Saul’s charge and ate food. (I Sam. 14:24)

 

5.      What did the people find on the ground in the wood (I Sam. 14:25)

 

6.      Why didn’t any of the people eat the honey? (I Sam. 14:26)

 

7.      T – F    Jonathan had heard the oath of his father.  (I Sam. 14:27)

 

8.      T – F    Jonathan ate the honey. (I Sam. 14:27)

 

9.      What happened to Jonathan when he ate the honey? (I Sam. 14:27)

 

10.  What did the people do when they saw Jonathan eat the honey? (I Sam. 14:28)

 

11.  “Then said Jonathan, My father hath ____________________ the land…” (I Sam. 14:29)

 

12.  Defined:  troubled

 

13.  T – F    The slaughter of the enemies would have greater had the people been able to eat of the

spoils. (I Sam. 14:30).

 

14.  “And they smote the Philistines that day from  __________________ to _______________ (I Sam. 14:31).

 

15.  After the battle, how did the people feel? (I Sam. 14:31)

 

16.  Because they were so hungry, what did the people do? (I Sam. 14:32)

 

17.  What two words describe the actions of the people that day? (I Sam. 14:33)

 

18.  What did Saul want rolled unto him? (I Sam. 14:33)

 

19.  Where did Saul want the people to slay the animals? (I Sam. 14:34)

 

20.  What did Saul built at this place? (I Sam. 14:35).

 

21.  T – F    This was the second altar Saul had ever built to the Lord. (I Sam. 14:35)

 

22.  When did Saul want to attack to the Philistines? (I Sam. 14:36)

 

23.  Who said:  “Let us draw near hither to God”? (I Sam. 14:36)

 

24.  What happened when Saul asked counsel of God (I Sam. 14:37)

 

25.  What did Saul assume because God did not answer him? (I Sam. 14:38)

 

26.  What sentence did Saul put upon the one who had sinned (I  Sam. 14:39)

 

27.  How did Saul divide the people? (I Sam. 14:40)

 

28.  T – F    Saul desired a perfect lot. (I Sam. 14:41)

 

29.  Who was taken when the lot was cast the first time? (I Sam. 14:41)

 

30.  Who was taken when the lost as cast the second time? (I Sam. 14:42)

 

31.  What did Jonathan admit that he had done? (I Sam. 14:43)

 

32.  T – F    Saul refused to put his son to death.  (I Sam. 14:44)

 

33.  Who saved Jonathan from death? (I Sam. 14:45)

 

34.  Why did the people refuse to allow Jonathan to die? (I Sam. 14:45)

 

35.  T – F    Jonathan was still put to death. (I Sam. 14:45)

 

36.  T – F    After this incident, the battle between Israel and the Philistines ended. (I Sam. 14:46)

 

37.  What give nations were the enemies of Saul listed in I Samuel 14:47)

 

38.  What other nation was also an enemy? (I Sam. 14:48)

 

39.  List Saul children (I Sam. 14:49).

 

A.    Sons:         1)  ____________________________          

 

2)  ____________________________

 

3)  ____________________________

 

B.      Daughters:  1) ___________________________

 

  2)  ___________________________

 

40.  Who was Saul’s wife?  (I Sam. 14:50)

41.  Who was the captain of the host?  (I Sam. 14:50)

 

42.  T – F    Abner was Saul’s uncle (I Sam. 14:50)

 

43.  T – F    Abner was the son of Ner, the brother of Kish. (I Sam. 14:51)

 

44.  What kind of war was there with the Philistines all the days of Saul? (I Sam. 14:52)

 

45.  Who did Saul take into his army when he saw him? (I Sam. 14:52)

 

A.

 

B.