He stayed seven days, according to the set time that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel didn't come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
Gibeah was Saul’s hometown and his capital. Michmash was five miles northeast of Gibeah, and Geba was four. Evidently Saul wanted to clear the area around Gibeah, and the central Benjamin plateau on which it stood, of Philistines, to make this population center more secure. Jonathan’s initial victory at Geba provoked the Philistines, who massed their forces across the steep valley that separated Geba and Michmash. This is the first mention of Jonathan, whose name means, "The Lord has given." Some scholars believe that Saul mustered the Israelite forces in the Jordan Valley at Gilgal, about 12 miles east of Michmash. [Note: E.g., Keil and Delitzsch, pp. 127-28.] However, the location of the Gilgal in view is problematic. In doing so, he was following orders that Samuel had given him earlier (1 Samuel 10:8). Apparently Saul was to meet Samuel to offer sacrifices of worship before he engaged the Philistines in battle. Because of the superior Philistine army the Israelite soldiers were afraid, and some even fled (cf. Judges 6:2). The enemy must have been strong to threaten Israel’s eastern territory since Philistia was Israel’s neighbor to the west.