1 Samuel 14:12

12 The men in the Philistine camp shouted to Jonathan and the young man who was carrying his armor. They said, "Come on up here. We'll teach you a thing or two." So Jonathan said to the young man, "Climb up after me. The LORD has handed them over to Israel."

1 Samuel 14:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:12

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his
armourbearer
The guards that were set to watch the garrison, who descrying them, called to them, and said:

come up to us, and we will show you a thing;
we have something to say to you, a pretty thing to show you, when you shall pay dear for your boldness and impudence, in daring to come so near; not imagining that they could come, or would dare to attempt to come any further:

and Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, come up after me;
follow me, and never fear but we will find a way to come up to them, however difficult it may be:

for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel;
he knew by their language that God had given them a spirit of fear, that they durst not come out of their hold, and come down to them; and that he had cast them into a spirit of security and vain confidence, that they could never come at them, and give them any trouble; and from thence he concluded deliverance was at hand for the people of Israel, he seeking not his own private interest and glory, but the public good; and which he was ready to ascribe not to his own valour and courage, but to the power, kindness, and goodness of God.

1 Samuel 14:12 In-Context

10 But suppose they say, 'Come up to us.' Then we'll climb up. That will show us that the LORD has handed them over to us."

11 So Jonathan and the young man let the soldiers in the Philistine camp see them. "Look!" said the Philistines. "Some of the Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in."

12 The men in the Philistine camp shouted to Jonathan and the young man who was carrying his armor. They said, "Come on up here. We'll teach you a thing or two." So Jonathan said to the young man, "Climb up after me. The LORD has handed them over to Israel."

13 Using his hands and feet, Jonathan climbed up. The young man was right behind him. Jonathan struck the Philistines down. The young man followed him and killed those who were still alive.

14 In that first attack, Jonathan and the young man killed about 20 men. They did it in an area of about half an acre.