1 samuel 14:9 - If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.
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What does "1 samuel 14:9" mean?
This verse is from a scene where Jonathan and his armor-bearer are about to attempt a risky raid on a Philistine outpost. They've devised a plan to gauge the enemy's reaction and determine if they should proceed. The verse is about their agreed-upon signal:
"If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’" This means if the Philistines respond by saying, "Stay where you are until we come down and fight you,"...
"then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them." ...then Jonathan and his armor-bearer will interpret this as a sign that the Philistines are confident and ready for a fight. They will then decide not to attack, judging the situation too dangerous.
In essence, this verse describes a pre-arranged signal to abort their mission. The signal they've chosen is based on the attitude of the Philistines. If the Philistines are arrogant and taunting them to wait, it's considered a sign of strength and a reason to back down.
Why would they choose this specific signal?
Divinely guided: They might believe God would use the Philistines' words to guide their decision.
Psychological assessment: It was also a clever tactical maneuver. An arrogant response from the Philistines could indicate a stronger, more confident, and therefore more dangerous force. A more hesitant or fearful response might indicate weakness.
Therefore, 1 Samuel 14:9 details a plan for reconnaissance and a signal for retreat based on the perceived strength and confidence of the enemy.
1 samuel 14:9 - If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.
What does "1 samuel 14:9" mean?
This verse is from a scene where Jonathan and his armor-bearer are about to attempt a risky raid on a Philistine outpost. They've devised a plan to gauge the enemy's reaction and determine if they should proceed. The verse is about their agreed-upon signal:
"If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’" This means if the Philistines respond by saying, "Stay where you are until we come down and fight you,"...
"then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them." ...then Jonathan and his armor-bearer will interpret this as a sign that the Philistines are confident and ready for a fight. They will then decide not to attack, judging the situation too dangerous.
In essence, this verse describes a pre-arranged signal to abort their mission. The signal they've chosen is based on the attitude of the Philistines. If the Philistines are arrogant and taunting them to wait, it's considered a sign of strength and a reason to back down.
Why would they choose this specific signal?
Divinely guided: They might believe God would use the Philistines' words to guide their decision.
Psychological assessment: It was also a clever tactical maneuver. An arrogant response from the Philistines could indicate a stronger, more confident, and therefore more dangerous force. A more hesitant or fearful response might indicate weakness.
Therefore, 1 Samuel 14:9 details a plan for reconnaissance and a signal for retreat based on the perceived strength and confidence of the enemy.