were probably on the hill of Sochoh.

"Sochoh is a strong position isolated from the rest of the ridge,
and it keeps open the line of retreat down the valley. Saul's army
was probably not immediately opposite, but a little way up on the
slopes of the incoming Wady el Jindy, and so placed that the
Philistines, in attacking it, must cross not only the level land and
the main stream, but one of the two other streams as well, and must
also climb the slopes for some distance. Both positions were thus
very strong, and this fact perhaps explains the long hesitation of
the armies in face of each other, even though the Philistines had
the advantage of Goliath. The Israelite position certainly looks the
stronger. It is interesting, too, that from its rear the narrow pass
goes right up to the interior of the land near Bethlehem; so that
the shepherd boy, whom the story represents as being sent by his
father for news of the battle, would have almost twelve miles to
cover between his father's house and the camp"
[End illustration]

{389}

And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give
me a man, that we may fight together."

And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they
were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose
name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in
the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after
Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the
battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the
third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest
followed Saul.

And Jesse said to David his son, "Take now for thy brethren an ephah
of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to
the camp to thy brethren; and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain
of their thousand; and look how thy brethren fare, and bring back some
token of their welfare."

Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of
Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose up early in the
morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took the presents and
went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the barricade of
wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight shouted for the
battle. And Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army
against army. And David l