Verse 1
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle ,.... Josephus F19 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 1. says this was not long after the things related in the preceding chapter were transacted; and very probably they had heard of the melancholy and distraction of Saul, and thought it a proper opportunity of avenging themselves on Israel for their last slaughter of them, and for that purpose gathered together their dispersed troops:
and were gathered together at Shochoh , which belongeth to Judah; a city of the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:35 , which shows that, notwithstanding their last defeat, they had great footing in the land of Israel, or however had penetrated far into it in this march of theirs:
and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah ; which were both in the same tribe, and near one another, of which See Gill on Joshua 10:10 ; see Gill on Joshua 15:35 .
in Ephesdammim ; which, by an apocope of the first letter, is called Pasdammim, 1 Chronicles 11:13 which the Jews F20 Midrash Ruth, fol. 48. 2. Kimchi in loc. say had this name because there blood ceased.
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