All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines.
The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude.
They came up and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits.