1 Samuel 14:13

1Sa 14:13 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.

Ver. 13. And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet.] See 1Sa 14:4. Faith in God’s power and promises will eat its way over all Alps of opposition. Magna facinora, magnis periculis emuntur, saith the historian. {a} Great acts are bought with great hazards.

And they fell before Jonathan.] Who cut his way through a wood of men: as did afterwards the thrice noble Scanderbeg.

And his armour bearer slew after him.] With the weapons of the slain Philistines he slew more of them.

{a} Dionys. Halicar.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa_14:13

And they fell before Jonathan, and his armour bearer slew after him.

The qualities that win

Sir Charles Napier, when in India, encountered an army of thirty-five thousand Belloches with two thousand men, of whom only four hundred were Europeans. He charged them in the centre up a high bank, and for three hours the battle was undecided. At last they turned and fled. It is this sort of pluck, tenacity and determined perseverance which wins soldiers battles, and, indeed, every battle. It is the one neck nearer that wins the race and shows the blood; the one pull more of the oar that proves the beefiness of the fellow, as Oxford men say; it is the one march more that wins the campaign, the five minutes more persistent courage that wins the fight. Though your force be less than anothers, you equal and outmaster your opponent if you continue it longer and concentrate it more. (S. Smiles)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 14:13. They fell before Jonathan — It is probable that the garrison, after they had spoken to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, concerned themselves no further about them, so that they climbed up unperceived, and fell upon the Philistines unawares, and perhaps when they were unarmed. And being endowed with extraordinary strength and courage, and having, with incredible boldness, killed the first they met with, it is not strange if the Philistines were both astonished and intimidated; God also struck them with a panic; and withal, infatuated their minds, and possibly put an evil spirit among them, which in this universal confusion made them conceive that there was treachery among themselves, and therefore caused them to sheath their swords in one another’s bowels.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, he crept up, or went up with all haste.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 13. Jonathan climbed up] It seems he had a part of the rock still to get over. When he got over he began to slay the guards, which were about twenty in number, these were of a sort of outpost or advanced guard to the garrison.

Slew after him] Jonathan knocked them down, and the armour-bearer despatched them. This seems to be the meaning.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(13) And they fell before Jonathan . . .—The sign he prayed for was given him. There were probably but few sentinels at their posts; the inaccessibility of the craggy fortress had lulled the garrison into security. The few watching him at first mocked, and then, as Jonathan advanced with strange rapidity, they seem to have been, as it were, paralysed—the feat was hardly human—as the man, all armed, sprang over the rocky parapet. “His chief weapon was his bow,” writes Dean Stanley; “his whole tribe was a tribe of archers, and he was the chief archer of them all.” Arrived at the summit, in rapid succession he shot his deadly bolts, his gallant armour-bearer following his chief’s example. and twenty men, so says the record, fell before they had recovered their surprise. In a moment a panic seized the garrison, and a hurried flight ensued, for they felt they had to deal with no mortal strength.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet] “Immediately to the east of the village of Michmash exists a natural fortress, still called ‘the fort’ by the peasantry. It is a ridge rising in three rounded knolls above a perpendicular crag, ending in a narrow tongue to the east with cliffs below.” Conder’s Tent Work, II. 112. This may have been the post occupied by the advanced guard of the Philistines.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet,.... He did not attempt to go up the way or pass the Philistines kept, but turned aside and climbed up a precipice thought inaccessible, and came upon them unseen, and at unawares; for had he attempted to come up in any part where he was seen, they could easily have beat him down, and prevented his ascent; but though the place he climbed was so very steep and cragged, yet going on all four, as we say, he surmounted the difficulty; for he took this method of going on his hands and feet, not so much that he might not be seen; but because otherwise he could not have got up, not being able to stand on his feet; some think it was the precipice called Bozez he climbed, which, according to the Targum, had its name from its being lubricous and slippery:

and his armourbearer after him; who clambered up in the same manner, in imitation of his master, and as taught and directed by him:

and they fell before Jonathan, and his armourbearer slew after him; Jonathan, coming upon them at an unawares, knocked them down; or falling upon them, and laying about him with great dispatch, wounded them, and laid them prostrate to the ground; and his armourbearer following them, put them to death, dispatched them at once; and so between them both made quick riddance of them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Philistines could easily have hindered their ascent, but thought scorn to do it, not questioning but they could cut them off in a moment when they were come up to them according to their invitation.

Jonathan and his armourbearer being endowed with extraordinary strength and courage, and having with incredible boldness killed the first they met with, and so proceeding with success, it is not strange if the Philistines were both astonished and intimidated; God also struck them with a panic terror; and withal, infatuated their minds, and possibly put an evil spirit among them, which in this universal confusion made them conceive that there was treachery amongst themselves, and therefore caused them to sheath their swords in one another’s bowels, as appears from 1Sa 14:16,20.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Upon his hands and upon his feet. Of course a single stone rolled down upon them while thus clambering up the precipitous side of the cliff would have sent them to the bottom; but the Philistines, apparently considering the ascent impossible, seem entirely to have neglected them. The youthful appearance of the two no doubt contributed to throw them off their guard. And they fell before Jonathan. The brevity of the Hebrew very well expresses the rapidity of Jonathan"s action. Used to mountaineering, he was ready, as soon as he had reached the summit, to commence the attack, and the Philistines, little expecting so vigorous an onslaught from so feeble a force, were surprised, and made but a slight resistance. The armour bearer also behaved with a bravery like his master"s.

Vers. 13-23.

God"s faithfulness to his own.

The facts are

1. Jonathan and his servant ascend the precipice and slay, on a narrow stripof land, about twenty men.

2. A panic arising, from a combination of causes, the commotion attractsthe attention of Saul"s sentinels.

3. It being ascertained that Jonathan was engaged against the Philistines,inquiry is sought of God, by Saul, through the priest Ahiah.

4. The tumult among the Philistines increasing, Saul abruptly stops theinquiry and leads on his followers to battle.

5. The deserters and the fugitives fall on the rear of the retreatingPhilistines. The historian sums up the narrative of events in this section by the suggestive words, "So the Lord saved Israel that day." It was "the Lord," working through the instrumentality of a noble hearted man and the events concurrent with his action not withholding the reward of fidelity, notwithstanding the questionable conduct of the king. "It is the Lord," must be the verdict of history, not only of their deliverance, but of many others in all time.

I GOD"S FAITHFULNESS IS SEEN IN PERFECTING THE WORK WHICH HE INSPIRES. There can be no doubt but that Jonathan received this "good and perfect gift" of inspiration, to seek the salvation of his country, from God. We have seen that it could not have been a mere human, earth born impulse. There may be a point at which the human free aspiration becomes touched with a Divine power; but, as a whole, the impulse is of God. The narrative tells us how certainly God wrought for the perfecting of that which he saw in the heart. Not a step of his way did Jonathan find to be a practical denial of the truth of his inward prompting. Thus the life of the true man of God is crowded with evidences of the Divine faithfulness. He who begins a "good work" within us will carry it through. He is "not unrighteous to forget our work of faith and labour of love." He will "perfect that which concerneth us." "Loving his own," he loves "to the end." Abraham, under an inspiration from God, went forth, and all through his pilgrimage he found Jehovah to be a covenant keeping God. In our painful and protracted endeavours, in obedience to an aspiration born from above to rise to the heights of holiness and to bless others, we shall find him faithful who hath promised never to leave nor forsake us.

II IN MAINTAINING HIS FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PEOPLE GOD CAUSES VARIED INFLUENCES TO CONVERGE ON THE DESIRED RESULT OF EFFORT. The Divine faithfulness is not arbitrarily and absolutely manifested. It is seen in realising the desired end by a succession of events naturally connected. Jonathan"s exertions were put forth as though all rested on the courage of his own heart and the strength of his own arm. The narrative shows us how an unseen hand upheld the brave soldier, and caused diverse things to converge on the one issue: e.g. the young soldier"s skill, tact, and courage; the folly of the defenders in allowing him a footing on the narrow pathway of the upper part of the precipice; the fear aroused through ignorance of the full facts of the assault; the panic spread from post to post strengthened, possibly, by a slight shock of earthquake; the onward movement of Saul"s troop; and the opportunity created for the rallying of fugitives and deserters (vers. 21, 22).

Such a historical episode is of great value to us, as indicating in distinct, traceable incidents the reality of that Divine wisdom and power which ever presides over all the efforts of Christians to rid themselves and the world of Sill. It illustrates as on a picture the great formula of faith things work together for good to them that love God." As "the stars in their courses fought against Sisera," and as even holy angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation," so may it be said, in the case of every one who strives to purify himself from all sin, or seeks by some bold or ordinary endeavour to win the world over to Christ, "all things are yours, are being governed by the Lord of all so as to subserve the one holy end to the attainment of which your hearts are inspired.

III IN MANIFESTING HIS FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PEOPLE GOD PERMITS THE IMPERFECT TO SHARE IN THE BLESSINGS PROCURED BY THE MORE PERFECT. Primarily, it was God"s compassion for Israel and his covenant with Abraham that must account for this new deliverance. Secondarily, it was a reward to Jonathan"s fidelity and self-consecration. Saul had shut himself out of the honour and privilege of obtaining deliverance for the nation. Even now his old folly and rashness reappear, in religiously beginning to seek counsel, thus honouring God, and then in irreverently discontinuing to seek that counsel, through his impetuous haste to join in the pursuit, thus preferring the impulse of his heart to the declared will of God. Nevertheless, even Saul derives great advantage from the prowess of the good and devout Jonathan. God, in his mercy, does not sacrifice the final interests of his people to the folly of a leader. Thus, also, Joseph"s brethren shared in the prosperity won by their holy and wise brother. The inferior Christians of today participate in some of the outward blessings accruing to the faithful as the result of their fidelity.

General lessons.

1. It would be a profitable study to note in detail, over the field of sacredand Church history, and in the sphere of private Christian enterprise, to what a large extent the world is indebted for spiritual, material, and educational good to the honour God has put on the labours of the most faithful of his servants.

2. We may be perfectly sure in the pursuit of any holy enterprise, to whichpersonally we may feel inadequate, that God, with whom is "no restraint," will develop helping circumstances.

3. The helping circumstances desiderated will arise, not at first, but only as we faithfully press along the line of duty.

4. The cumulating record of God"s faithfulness to his people through thelong ages should make us calm, strong, and immovable in the most perilous of enterprises undertaken for Christ.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They fell - For being endowed with extraordinary strength and courage, and having with incredible boldness killed the first they met with, it is not strange if the Philistines were both astonished and intimidated; God also struck them with a panic; and withal, infatuated their minds, and possibly, put an evil spirit among them, which in this universal confusion made them conceive that there was treachery among themselves, and therefore caused them to sheathe their swords in one anothers bowels.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet

He did this because it was very steep. This could be made explicit. AT: "So Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and his feet because it was very steep" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

The Philistines were put to death before Jonathan

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Jonathan killed the Philistines" (See: Active or Passive)

his armor bearer put some to death behind him

"Jonathan's armor bearer followed him and also killed Philistine soldiers"

translationWords

die

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

On his hands and feet. I.e., with all his might and running.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.