How we cite our quotes:
Quote #4
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. (1 Samuel 11:1-2, KJV)
About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you." But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this condition I will make a treaty with you, namely that I gouge out everyone's right eye, and thus put disgrace upon all Israel." (1 Samuel 11:1-2, NRSV)
War can either bring out the best or the worst in you. In 1 Samuel, we meet Nahash, a man who definitely has had the worst brought out. He offers to make a treaty with some Israelites, but even if they make the treaty, he still wants to gouge out their right eye. Saul didn't exactly see eye-to-eye with this guy. Pardon our pun. The point is, by defeating Nahash in battle, Saul solidifies his position as king.
Quote #5
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. {a file: Heb. a file with mouths} {sharpen: Heb. set} So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. {garrison: or, standing camp}. (1 Samuel 13:19-23, KJV)
Now there was no smith to be found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "The Hebrews must not make swords or spears for themselves"; so all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshare, mattocks, axes, or sickles; The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads. So on the day of the battle neither sword nor spear was to be found in the possession of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and his son Jonathan had them. Now a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass of Michmash. (1 Samuel 13:19-23, NRSV)
The best way to defeat your enemy is to prevent them from engaging in warfare against you in the first place. If you can prevent their access to weapons, then you can control them. Apparently, the Philistines have mastered this strategy. The Israelites were not allowed to have swords or spears, but they can have farming equipment. Plowshares were used to prepare the ground for planting. A mattock was used to put holes into the ground for planting. A sickle was used for cutting wheat during the harvest. These items were good for farming, but not for fighting. Well, we guess the sickle was okay. We've seen enough horror movies to know how that works.
Quote #6
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. 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. {Tarry: Heb. Be still} But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us. 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. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. (1 Samuel 14:6-12, KJV)
Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will act for us; for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few." His armor-bearer said to him, "Do all that your mind inclines to. I am with you; as your mind is, so is mine." Then Jonathan said, "Now we will cross over to those men and will show ourselves to them. If they say to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up; for the LORD has given them into our hand. That will be the sign for us." So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, "Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves." The men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer, saying, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Come up after me; for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel." (1 Samuel 14:6-12, NRSV)
During battle, some soldiers would have an armor-bearer to carry their weapons. We might compare them to the squires who served knights. These armor-bearers were most likely being trained to become soldiers. Saul's son Jonathan has a good armor-bearer. He willingly goes with him to fight against the Philistines. While all of the other Israelites were running away, Jonathan and his armor-bearer won a great victory over the Philistines. Their win encouraged other Israelites to join in the fight.