That were in the valley. — Rather, the plain, in which the main battle was fought — that of Jezreel. Samuel has “that were on the other side of the plain, and on the other side of the Jordan.” The curt phrase “who (dwelt) in the plain,” may be compared with 1 Chronicles 9:2. The people of the surrounding districts are meant; who, when they “saw that they” (viz., Saul’s army, “the men of Israel,” Samuel) “fled,” or had been routed, deserted “their (Samuel, ‘the,’ perhaps a transposition of letters) cities” which were then occupied by the Philistines.
Dwelt in them. — The pronoun here is masculine, in Samuel, feminine, which is correct.