1 Samuel 31:7

on the other side of the valley On the side of the valley (êmek, see on 1 Samuel 6:13) or plain of Jezreel opposite to the battle-field. The district to the north is meant, in which the tribes of Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali dwelt. 1 Chronicles 10:7 however reads simply "in the valley," and perhaps the phrase only means "on the side of the valley." See next note.

on the other side Jordan This is the usual sense of the Hebrew words. The panic spread even to the eastern side of the Jordan. But possibly the phrase here means "on the side of the Jordan," i.e. in the district between the battle-field and the river; which agrees better with the account of the exploit of the Jabeshites, and the establishment of Ishbosheth's kingdom at Mahanaim. The greater part of the north of Canaan was thus occupied by the Philistines. Note that this clause is omitted in 1 Chronicles 10:7.