Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there] at that time with the children of Israel.
"If the Philistines said, ’Wait till we come,’ they would show some courage; but if they said, ’Come up to us,’ it would be a sign that they were cowardly . . ." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, p. 138.] 