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.
But if they say, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up, because the LORD has given them into our power. This will be our sign from God.
Jonathan is telling his armor-bearer that if the Philistines invite them to come up, it will be God's sign that He has given them victory.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, Jonathan, the son of King Saul, was facing the Philistine oppressors during a period of conflict when Israel was militarily weakened. He proposed a sign to his armor-bearer as a way to discern God's will before launching a surprise attack on a Philistine garrison, believing that if the enemy invited them to come up, it meant God had delivered the Philistines into their hands. This story underscores the reliance on divine guidance in ancient Israelite warfare.
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