And Saul came to a city of Amalek,.... With his army, perhaps the nearest city of it to the land of Israel; though some think that Amalek was the name of the city, and was the metropolis of the nation, and had its name from thence: and laid wait in the valley; which was near the city, to intercept the inhabitants when they should come out against him: or "he contended" w as some render it, he fought with them there; the Targum,
"he ordered his army,''
set them in battle array, or pitched his camp there.
w וירב "et certavit Pagninus"; "ut contenderet cum eo", Junius & Tremellius.