The Battle at Michmash

1 Samuel 13:23-14:23

During the reign of Saul, a detachment of Philistines pushed far into the interior of Israel and occupied the strategic pass at Michmash. Saul, Jonathan, and the Israelite forces were gathered across the pass at Geba, which is likely the location intended by the phrase “Gibeah of Benjamin” rather than Saul’s hometown of Gibeah further south. Also, since the town of Migron was likely located at Makrun, about 1.4 miles (2.2 km) north of Michmash (see map; also see Isaiah 10:28), the term typically translated “at Migron” in 1 Samuel 14:2 might be best understood as “at the precipice,” suggesting that Saul was positioned at the edge of the hill at Geba to keep watch over the Philistines across the pass at Michmash. After a while Jonathan led his armor bearer in an attack on a Philistine output near Michmash by scaling the nearby cliffs of Bozez and Seneh, and the two of them killed twenty Philistines. The rest of the Philistine army was thrown into complete panic, drawing the attention of Saul at Geba. Saul’s forces then attacked the Philistines and pursued them beyond Beth-aven.

⤓ download hi-res file         🔍 see in TimeGlider