1 Samuel 4:10 - "So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home; and there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers."

Acts 12:18 - "Now when day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter."

Before Saul there was no regular Israelite army, but, when a need arose, the tribes would gather together, each tribe with its own banner, and rally to the cause. And when the situation had been resolved, they would go back to their own homes. But with the establishment of the monarchy, a standing army became a necessity.

Saul started this army by choosing permanent warriors to serve him, and David later increased this force and began to pay the soldiers wages. Before this time, sol…