Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Samuel 9:4

"And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not." — 1 Samuel 9:4 (ASV)

The land of Shalisha was somewhere near Gilgal, that is, Jiljulieh. It is thought to derive its name from “three” (Shalosh) wadys which unite in the wady of Karawa. The location of Shalim is not known; its etymology more likely connects it with the land of Shual (1 Samuel 13:17), apparently around Taiyibeh, which was about nine miles from Gibeah.

Zuph—See 1 Samuel 9:5 and the note on 1 Samuel 1:1.