The National Crisis

The beginning of the war with the Philistines -- The young prince Jonathan, here mentioned for the first time, slew the garrison or officer (the Hebrew per­mits us to translate officer) placed by the Philistines at Gibeah for the collection of tribute. What impelled him was his faith in God and his pious grief at the national indignities which his country and thus the Lord endured at the hands of the Philistines. No further details are given of the origin of this partic­ular quarrel. Jonathan,...