The name Beth-aven probably means “the house of idols,” possibly, “the house of emptiness.” It is thought to refer to a locality in the district north of Michmash and east of Bethel. The main route of the Philistines was to the west toward their homeland, but their confusion was evidently so great that they fled in all directions.

Here is a noteworthy example of divine power cooperating with human effort. Jonathan longed for deliverance from the incursions of the Philistines. Events of the day leave no doubt but that his aspiration was born of the Holy Spirit. Jonathan saw the impulsive fit of depression that afflicted his father, but this only inspired him with greater confidence in the divine Ruler, who had called Saul in the first place. With every advance step Jonathan felt a surge of power, born of faith, that strengthened him for the next. That day he was proving Jehovah to be a covenant-keeping God—One who was able to make the wrath of man to praise Him.

How much is packed into these words, “The Lord saved Israel”—the aggressive strength and courage of the young warrior, the companionship and loyal support of the armor-bearer, the self-complacency of the watchmen on the crag, the exact timing of the assault, the panic created by the surprise attack, the earthquake, the rout of a confused host, the liberation of slaves who, under the stimulus of Jonathan’s exploit, felt free to turn against their captors, and the return of a king and his army, formerly humiliated beyond measure before his foes Now, everyone seemed anxious to demonstrate his eagerness to make the defeat of the enemy complete.