According to Josephus and 1 Samuel 13:2, Saul himself initially retained 2,000 of these as his guard in Bethel while providing Jonathan with 1,000 which he used to take back Gibeah from Philistine rule.

The actual size and strength of the Philistine army is estimated at over 40,000 men, consisting of 6,000 horsemen and about 3,000 special hamashhith units.

The infantry runners, also wearing leather breastplates and armed with swords, spears, and round bronze shields, would have numbered more than 30,000 men in total strength.

[2] As described in 1 Samuel 13:16, "Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash."

According to Josephus, the Philistines encamped on a prominent hill at Michmash with three peaks and a steep precipice, and on the basis of its defensibility relaxed its guard presence.

The remainder of the camp awoke with confusion, and "melted away and they went on beating down one another",[7] with fighting erupting among their multiethnic contingents believing there to be a greater number of Israelites.