If they say thus to us, Wait until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.
God caused the Philistines to fight one another (1 Samuel 14:20; cf. Judges 7:22; 2 Chronicles 20:23). Some Israelite deserters or mercenaries who were fighting for the Philistines even changed their allegiance and took sides with Jonathan. The tide of battle had turned. Beth-aven stood near Michmash, but the exact site is uncertain.