In 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan, the son of Saul, initiates a daring attack against the Philistine garrison. With only his armor-bearer by his side, he decides to test God’s favor and see if they can defeat the enemy. They climb up to the enemy outpost, where the Philistines are taken by surprise. Jonathan and his armor-bearer kill about twenty men in their first strike. This act of faith and courage leads to a great panic among the Philistines, and they start to flee in confusion.
Meanwhile, Saul and his army are situated nearby, and they also notice the tumult among the Philistines. Saul musters his troops, and they join in the battle against the enemy. The Israelites who had previously deserted Saul also rejoin the fight, and the victory becomes even more significant. The Lord grants the Israelites a great deliverance that day.
However, Saul had made an oath earlier, declaring that no one should eat until evening, and the people were weary from battle and famished. Jonathan, unaware of his father’s oath, eats some honey from a honeycomb, which revives him. When Saul learns about the oath being broken, he prepares to punish whoever disobeyed, but the people intervene and save Jonathan from his father’s wrath.
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