Deployment for the battle of Gilboa and the death and burial of Saul

DEPLOYMENT FOR THE BATTLE OF GILBOA AND THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SAUL

To understand the preliminary stages of Saul’s final confrontation with the Philistines, one must recognize the objectives of the author of the Book of Samuel. He seeks to exonerate David from any responsibility for military action against his own people or against Saul. The literary arrangement chosen to emphasize this goal has caused untold confusion in historical geography. The solution is simple. Chapter 28 introduces the disposition of forces in the Jezreel area on the eve of the battle. Chapter 29 provides a “flashback” to the earlier mustering of the Philistine forces at Aphek (Râs el-‘Ain) where they had previously assembled for the battle of Ebenezer (1 Sam 4:1, 5:1). This site marked the northern border of the territory under direct Philistine control at that time (see 1 Sam 29:1).

Article abstract from The Sacred Bridge