Read Online The Prince: Jonathan by Francine Rivers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Francine Rivers
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friend. Move to your right. That’s it.”
When they had both reached the bottom, Jonathan moved out of the shadows into the open. He planted his feet and lifted his head. Ebenezer joined him.
“Look!” A man laughed from above. “The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” Other Philistines joined the watchman. A few warriors peered over the edge of the cliff. One spit. Their laughter echoed between the walls of the cliffs.
Jonathan’s heart beat hard for battle. Lord, please give them into our hands! Let them know there is a God in Israel!
And the sign came.
“Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Come on, climb right behind me, for the Lord will help us defeat them!” Jonathan ran at the cliff and started to climb, Ebenezer right behind him. Grasping hold of thick-rooted thornbushes, Jonathan pulled himself up. He found footholds and climbed like a lizard on a fortress wall, trailed by his young armor bearer.
Still laughing, the Philistine warriors moved back from the edge of the cliff. Jonathan could hear them. When he reached the top, he walked forward and took his stand. He grinned at the surprise on the Philistines’ faces.
“A couple of boys!”
One of the Philistines drew his sword. “Both about to die!”
Ebenezer took his place near Jonathan.
One of the Philistines guffawed.
In one fluid motion, Jonathan shrugged the bow from his shoulder, whipped an arrow out, set it, and sent it straight and true to its target. The laughing Philistine fell back, an arrow between his eyes. Stunned, the others stared at Jonathan and then let out a battle roar, drew swords, and came at Jonathan and Ebenezer, who shot one arrow after another, and one after another, Philistines fell—twenty in all.
The shouting had roused the others. More shouting came from behind.
With his last arrow released, Jonathan drew his sword and gave his battle cry. “For the Lord!” The ground shook as Philistine warriors panicked and ran. Jonathan ran into the confusion and hacked down an officer. Ebenezer grabbed a spear and threw it into a fleeing Philistine. More screams rent the air.
“The shofar blows!” Ebenezer cried out. “The king is coming!”
Jonathan shouted in exultation. Israel was on the move! Philistines ran in terror. Jonathan spotted a few Hebrews among the Philistines. Whether they were men who had gone up to fight with the enemy or were captives did not matter now. “Fight for Israel or die!” Jonathan shouted, and the men turned as one and fought for Jonathan.
“The Ark!” Ebenezer shouted.
Jonathan looked back and saw the Ark. No! With a roar, he turned, enraged at the thought of the enemy getting their hands on it again. He ran into the Philistine camp, sword flashing. No one will ever take the Ark from us! He cut to the left. No one will open it and desecrate it! He cut to the right. No one will take the Law from us! He slashed and stabbed. No one will open the jar and spill out the manna! He sliced off a warrior’s arm and cut off his head. No one will break the staff of Aaron that sprouted leaves, bloomed, and bore almonds in a day!
Jonathan screamed in rage as he fought. “ Jehovah-Roi! El Shaddai! Adonai!” God our King! God Almighty! Lord!
And Philistines ran from him in terror.
From all directions, the Hebrews came. The king’s army of six hundred swelled and advanced north from Gibeah. Men of Ephraim pressed in from the south.
Confusion reigned among the Philistines. Some fled toward Aijalon, others to Ophrah, trying to reach Beth-aven, their stronghold, the house of wickedness.
Taking up a spear, Jonathan kept after the Philistines, encouraging the other Israelites who had joined him. They grew weary and faint, and were barely able to keep up with him. When Jonathan entered the woods, he spotted bees swarming over a hole in the ground. “Honey!” He reached out the end of his staff, dipped it into the hole, and brought up a portion of honeycomb. “God
When they had both reached the bottom, Jonathan moved out of the shadows into the open. He planted his feet and lifted his head. Ebenezer joined him.
“Look!” A man laughed from above. “The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” Other Philistines joined the watchman. A few warriors peered over the edge of the cliff. One spit. Their laughter echoed between the walls of the cliffs.
Jonathan’s heart beat hard for battle. Lord, please give them into our hands! Let them know there is a God in Israel!
And the sign came.
“Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Come on, climb right behind me, for the Lord will help us defeat them!” Jonathan ran at the cliff and started to climb, Ebenezer right behind him. Grasping hold of thick-rooted thornbushes, Jonathan pulled himself up. He found footholds and climbed like a lizard on a fortress wall, trailed by his young armor bearer.
Still laughing, the Philistine warriors moved back from the edge of the cliff. Jonathan could hear them. When he reached the top, he walked forward and took his stand. He grinned at the surprise on the Philistines’ faces.
“A couple of boys!”
One of the Philistines drew his sword. “Both about to die!”
Ebenezer took his place near Jonathan.
One of the Philistines guffawed.
In one fluid motion, Jonathan shrugged the bow from his shoulder, whipped an arrow out, set it, and sent it straight and true to its target. The laughing Philistine fell back, an arrow between his eyes. Stunned, the others stared at Jonathan and then let out a battle roar, drew swords, and came at Jonathan and Ebenezer, who shot one arrow after another, and one after another, Philistines fell—twenty in all.
The shouting had roused the others. More shouting came from behind.
With his last arrow released, Jonathan drew his sword and gave his battle cry. “For the Lord!” The ground shook as Philistine warriors panicked and ran. Jonathan ran into the confusion and hacked down an officer. Ebenezer grabbed a spear and threw it into a fleeing Philistine. More screams rent the air.
“The shofar blows!” Ebenezer cried out. “The king is coming!”
Jonathan shouted in exultation. Israel was on the move! Philistines ran in terror. Jonathan spotted a few Hebrews among the Philistines. Whether they were men who had gone up to fight with the enemy or were captives did not matter now. “Fight for Israel or die!” Jonathan shouted, and the men turned as one and fought for Jonathan.
“The Ark!” Ebenezer shouted.
Jonathan looked back and saw the Ark. No! With a roar, he turned, enraged at the thought of the enemy getting their hands on it again. He ran into the Philistine camp, sword flashing. No one will ever take the Ark from us! He cut to the left. No one will open it and desecrate it! He cut to the right. No one will take the Law from us! He slashed and stabbed. No one will open the jar and spill out the manna! He sliced off a warrior’s arm and cut off his head. No one will break the staff of Aaron that sprouted leaves, bloomed, and bore almonds in a day!
Jonathan screamed in rage as he fought. “ Jehovah-Roi! El Shaddai! Adonai!” God our King! God Almighty! Lord!
And Philistines ran from him in terror.
From all directions, the Hebrews came. The king’s army of six hundred swelled and advanced north from Gibeah. Men of Ephraim pressed in from the south.
Confusion reigned among the Philistines. Some fled toward Aijalon, others to Ophrah, trying to reach Beth-aven, their stronghold, the house of wickedness.
Taking up a spear, Jonathan kept after the Philistines, encouraging the other Israelites who had joined him. They grew weary and faint, and were barely able to keep up with him. When Jonathan entered the woods, he spotted bees swarming over a hole in the ground. “Honey!” He reached out the end of his staff, dipped it into the hole, and brought up a portion of honeycomb. “God
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