The Philistines had gathered an immense force at Michmash --"thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude." When the tidings reached Saul and his army at Gilgal, the people were appalled at thought of the mighty forces they would have to encounter in battle. They were not prepared to meet the enemy, and many were so terrified that they dared not come to the test of an encounter. Some crossed the Jordan, while others hid themselves in caves and pits and amid the rocks that abounded in that region. As the time for the encounter drew near, the number of desertions rapidly increased, and those who did not withdraw from the ranks were filled with foreboding and terror.

Filisterne havde samlet en vældig hær i Mikmas. De havde "3000 stridsvogne, 6000 ryttere og fodfolk så talrigt som sandet ved havets bred". Da Saul og hans hær i Gilgal hørte dette, blev israelitterne rædselsslagne ved tanken om de vældige styrker, som de skulle kæmpe imod. De var ikke forberedt til kamp, og mange af dem var så bange, at de ikke turde drage i krig. Nogle af dem gik over Jordan, mens andre skjulte sig i de huler, jordhuller og klipperevner, som egnen var så rig på. Da slaget nærmede sig, blev der flere og flere desertører og de, der blev tilbage, var fyldt med bange anelser.