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by many or by few

1 Samuel 14:1-15 (JDV)

1 Samuel 14:1 And it was that day Saul’s son Jonathan said to the boy who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” However, he did not tell his father.
1 Samuel 14:2 Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. The troops with him numbered about six hundred.
1 Samuel 14:3 Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod, was also there. He was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod son of Phinehas, son of Eli Yahveh’s priest at Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.
1 Samuel 14:4 Between the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine garrison there were sharp columns of boulders. One was named Bozez and the other, Seneh;
1 Samuel 14:5 one stood to the north in front of Michmash and the other to the south in front of Geba.
1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to the boy who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Maybe Yahveh will help us. Nothing can keep Yahveh from saving, whether by many or by few.”
1 Samuel 14:7 His armor-bearer responded, “Do what is in your heart. You choose. Notice, I’m right here with you whatever you decide.”
1 Samuel 14:8 “All right,” Jonathan replied, “notice, we’ll cross over to the men and then let them see us.
1 Samuel 14:9 If they say, ‘Be still until we reach you,’ then we will stay where we are and not go up to them.
1 Samuel 14:10 But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we’ll go up, because Yahveh has handed them over to us — that will be our sign.”
1 Samuel 14:11 They let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, “Notice, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they’ve been hiding!”
1 Samuel 14:12 The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer. “Come on up, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” they said. “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “because Yahveh has handed them over to Israel.”
1 Samuel 14:13 Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off.
1 Samuel 14:14 In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in a half-acre field.
1 Samuel 14:15 Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties were terrified. The land shook, and terror spread from God.

by many or by few

Jonathan’s faith in God’s ability to save, whether “by many or by few” is a good example for us. Too often we are paralyzed by our fear that we are not enough to make a difference. Jonathan knew that God is enough to make up for our small number. He was willing to attempt great things because of his great God.