Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel - in a regular engagement, in which the two armies met (1 Samuel 28:1-4). The battle probably began upon the great plain, the southeastern extremity of which is bisected by the low range of mount Gilboa; but in the course of the conflict the scene was shifted to the hill. The fortune of the day was decided by the great superiority of the Philistines in one species of military weapons, which could be used at a distance, namely, archery; because although incidental notices in the sacred history prove the Hebrews were familiar with the bow from a very early period, it does not appear to have been hitherto used as a regular part of their offensive armour in war. In this memorable contest the Israelites were forced to give way, being annoyed by the arrows of the enemy, which, destroying them at a distance, before they came to close combat, throw them into panic and disorder. Taking advantage of the heights of mount Gilboa, they attempted to rally, but in vain. Saul and his men, though hotly pursued, fought like heroes; but the onset of the Philistines being at length mainly directed against the quarter where the king and his bodyguard were maintaining the combat, Jonathan and his two brothers, Abinadad or Ishui (1 Samuel 14:49), and Melchi-shua, overpowered by numbers, were killed on the spot.