John Gill Commentary 1 Samuel 13:2

"Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent." — 1 Samuel 13:2 (ASV)

Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel
Out of the 300,000 that went with him to fight the Ammonites, and returned with him to Gilgal, where he now was, and has stayed as may be supposed about a year, since now he had reigned two years. These 3000 men some of them doubtless were appointed as a guard about his person, and the rest were a standing army to preserve the peace of the nation, to protect them from their enemies, to watch the motions of the Philistines, and to be ready on any sudden invasion:

whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and in Mount Bethel ;
"Michmash", according to Bunting, ^F19 was four miles from Gilgal.

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and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin ;
the native place of Saul, and this Jonathan was the son of Saul, (1 Samuel 13:16) . According to Bunting ^F26 , Gibeah, where Jonathan was stationed, was eight miles from Michmash:

and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent ;
to their own houses; or, as the Targum, to their cities; these were those who came at his summons, and were numbered at Bezek, and went with him to the relief of Jabeshgilead, and had been with him ever since, and were now dismissed.

FOOTNOTES:

• F19: Travels of the Patriarchs p. 126.
• F26: Ut supra, (Travels of the Patriarchs) p. 127.