שמואל א, פרק כ״ו, פסוק ג׳

The physical placement of the opposing forces highlights a sharp contrast between a powerful, visible army and a small group forced into hiding. Saul establishes his camp directly on the main road leading to the hill of Hachilah. In stark contrast, David remains far from the central path, concealing himself in the surrounding wilderness [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

As the events unfold, David and his scouts notice a military force advancing toward their area. At first, this is merely an initial observation. The primary approach among commentators is that while David and his men strongly suspected it was Saul pursuing them, they lacked absolute certainty at this early stage. They did not yet know for sure who the army belonged to, nor had it become clear exactly where the approaching troops would choose to establish their camp.