⁴ So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious^(A) to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines assembled^(B) to fight Israel, with three thousand^[a] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand^(C) on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash,^(D) east of Beth Aven.^{(E) 6} When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid^(F) in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.^(G)