another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
Here, 1. Samuel departs in displeasure. Saul has set up for himself, and now he is left to himself: Samuel gat him from Gilgal (Sa1 13:15), and it does not appear that he either prayed with Saul or directed him. Yet in going up to Gibeah of Benjamin, which was Saul's city, he intimated that he had not quite abandoned him, but waited to do him a kindness another time.
Commenting on 1 Samuel 13:15-23
And another company turned the way to Bethhoron,.... Of which name there were two cities, the upper and nether, and both in the tribe of Ephraim, of which see Jos 16:3 this lay northwest from the camp of the Philistines at Michmash; eight miles from it, according to Bunting (d): and another company turned to the way of the border, that looketh towards the valley...
And another company turned the way [to] Bethhoron: and another company turned [to] the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. (m) So that to man's judgment these three armies would have overrun the whole country.