Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel, Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven.
Comment: As we have noted before time elapsed between Samuel anointing Saul with oil, a real coronation and Saul taking up the reigns of rulership. When he is settled in he selects a small full time army. Jonathon, his son, in charge of a unit of a thousand soldiers takes on and defeats a Philistine garrison. We haven’t heard of any good relations between Israel and the Philistines in the past and they were at this time subject to the Philistines. This small victory, while it causes glee among the Israelites, is a stench in the Philistines’ noses – not surprisingly. The gauntlet was thrown down by Jonathan and picked up vigorously by the Philistines. A literal exaggeration no doubt, but a very descriptive one, of the size of the army the Israelis were to meet! A battle is to be fought with an interesting twist as we will see soon!
Prayer: We find it hard to understand warring, Lord. We long for the day when there will be no more.
As I read it! 
Thank you Barry for your comments on this passage. Wars, unfortunately, have always been a part of our lives from the beginning of time. The Devil started the first “war” between God, and the man and woman He created. It seems to me that it is always a power struggle between two people, or two factions, or two nations. One wants the power over the other one. Until there is surrender by one of the two involved, there is no peace. This of course, also relates to our daily life as a follower of Christ. We are in a “war”, a battle with Satan. Will we surrender to Christ, or will we do what the Devil is saying. Our battles will be over when we are with the Lord of Glory and serving Him day and night singing praises to Him forever. O what a glorious day that will be, when our Saviour we will see, when we look upon His face. God bless you.
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