The Philistine garrison clearly did not view Jonathan and his man as a threat. They would have been quite relaxed as they approached,1 though certainly ready for battle if need be. For Jonathan to win the skirmish, the Lord had to have miraculously intervened to fight with him. There is no other way that one or two tired men would otherwise have been able to take down about twenty in battle.
13 Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him.