Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which [belongeth] to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.
Ver. 1. Now the Philistines gathered together.] They hearing of the breach between Saul and Samuel, whose piety and prayers had been dreadful and baneful to them, as also of Saul's frantic fits, rendering him unfit to lead an army; but especially being stirred up by God to undertake this expedition for the accomplishment of his ends, they again invade the land of Israel:
“ Atque Philisthaeis redit in praecordia virtus. ”