Now Saul, and they,.... That is, the sons of Jesse, and brethren of David:
and all the men of Israel; the soldiers in the army:
were in the valley Elah; or "by" it, near unto it; for they were set in array on the mountain on the side of it:
fighting with the Philistines; not actually engaged in battle, but drawn up for it; prepared and in readiness to engage whenever it was necessary, or they were obliged to it; and perhaps there might be now and then some skirmishes in the outer parts of the camp.