Jonathan's Raid at Michmash

During the reign of Saul, the Philistines were encamped at the pass of Michmash while Saul remained under a pomegranate tree in Migron with about six hundred men (1 Samuel 14:2). Jonathan, the son of Saul, told his armor-bearer that they should go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side, though he did not inform his father. Between the passes where Jonathan sought to cross, there was a sharp rock on one side called Bozez and a sharp rock on the other called Seneh. Jonathan stated that it might be that the Lord would work for them, noting that there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few (1 Samuel 14:6).

Jonathan proposed a sign: if the Philistines told them to wait, they would stand still, but if the Philistines invited them to come up, they would proceed as a sign that the Lord had delivered the enemy into their hand. When the two men showed themselves, the Philistines said the Hebrews were coming out of their holes and invited them to come up so they could show them something. Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, followed by his armor-bearer, and they killed about twenty men within an area of about a half acre (1 Samuel 14:13-14). A trembling subsequently broke out in the Philistine host and among all the people, and the earth quaked, resulting in a very great trembling.

Saul's watchmen in Gibeah observed the multitude melting away and beating down one another. Saul asked for the Ark of God, though he later told the priest to withdraw his hand as the tumult in the Philistine camp increased. Saul and his men assembled and found every man's sword was against his fellow in the Philistine camp (1 Samuel 14:20). Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and those hiding in Mount Ephraim joined the pursuit. Saul had adjured the people with a curse saying no man should eat food until evening so he could be avenged on his enemies, but Jonathan, not hearing the oath, ate honey from a honeycomb. The text does not say why Saul chose that specific day for the restriction.