As confusion grows among the Philistine forces, the Lord sends the whole army into a panic by shaking the ground (14:15–23). The earth tremor frightens the Philistines, and they fight among themselves in all the confusion and flee the battleground. It is the same sort of panic that was behind the victory at Mizpah (1 Sam. 7:7–12) and the defeat of the Midianites under Gideon (Judg. 7:22).

Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah report the commotion to their commander, and Saul immediately consults Ahijah the priest, apparently about using the ark to address the Lord. Before receiving an answer from the Lord, however, Saul takes his men to the battle and finds the Philistines in total confusion. As word about the battle spreads, the soldiers who earlier abandoned Saul rejoin his forces to take part in …