Can one person chase away 1000 men? Can two men cause 10,000 men to run away? It will happen only if the Lord gives them to their enemy. This will happen only if their Rock sells them like slaves.
Jonathan said to his young helper who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s go to the camp of those foreigners. Maybe the Lord will use us to defeat them. Nothing can stop the Lord—it doesn’t matter if we have many soldiers or just a few soldiers.”
These are the names of David’s special soldiers: Josheb Basshebeth the Tahkemonite was captain of the king’s special forces. He used his spear to kill 800 men at one time.
After Ehud saved the Israelites, another man saved Israel. That man’s name was Shamgar son of Anath. Shamgar used an ox goad to kill 600 Philistine men.
The priest will say, ‘Men of Israel, listen to me! Today you are going against your enemies in battle. Don’t lose your courage. Don’t be troubled or upset. Don’t be afraid of the enemy.
“The Lord will help you defeat your enemies who come to fight against you. Your enemies will come against you one way, but they will run away from you seven different ways!
So he said, ‘I will turn away from them, then let’s see what happens! They are a rebellious people. They are like children who will not learn their lessons.
Many Hagrites were killed because God helped the people of Reuben win the war. Then the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad settled in the land of the Hagrites. They lived there until the time when the Israelites were taken into captivity.
One enemy soldier will make threats, and a thousand of your men will run away. And when five of them make threats, all of you will run away. The only thing that will be left of your army will be a flagpole on a hill.
But the Lord will protect the people in Jerusalem. Even the man who trips and falls will become a great soldier like David. And the men from David’s family will be like gods—like the Lord’s own angel leading the people.
The men from the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad prayed to God during the war. They asked God to help them because they trusted him, so God helped them. He allowed them to defeat the Hagrites and those who were with the Hagrites.