Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 7:7

"And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines." — 1 Samuel 7:7 (ASV)

The lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. —This was what might naturally have been expected. The sudden destruction of the Phoenician idol shrines throughout the country, followed immediately by the summons of a vast popular assembly, held in so conspicuous a place as Mizpeh in Benjamin, aroused at once the warlike nation that had so long kept Israel in servitude. The Philistine leaders promptly assemble a powerful force and proceed to interrupt the Mizpeh gathering.