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1 Samuel
Chapter Six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 6
In
this chapter we are told the Philistines advised with their priests what to do
with the ark
and wherewith to send it home
1 Samuel 6:1 whose
advice was to send with it a trespass offering
golden images of emerods and
mice
and to put it on a new cart
and the images in a coffer on the side of
the ark
and draw it with two cows
1 Samuel 6:3
and
gave them a token whereby they might know whether they had been smitten by the
God of Israel or not
1 Samuel 6:9 which
advice they took
and acted in all things according to it; and the lords of the
Philistines accompanied the ark to the border of Bethshemesh
1 Samuel 6:10
where they of Bethshemesh received it with joy
and offered the kine for a
burnt offering to the Lord
and the Levites took care of the ark and presents
in it
and the lords of the Philistines returned home
1 Samuel 6:13
but
they of Bethshemesh looking into the ark were smitten of God
upon which they
sent to the men of Kirjathjearim to fetch it from them
1 Samuel 6:19.
1 Samuel 6:1 Now the ark of
the Lord
was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
YLT
1And the ark of Jehovah is
in the field of the Philistines seven months
And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines
seven months. Or "in the field"F3בשדה
εν αγρω
Sept. "in
agro"
Pagninus
Montanus. of the Philistines; hence Procopius Gazaeus
observes
that none of the cities daring to receive the ark
they left it
without under the open air
so thinking they should be delivered from their
calamity. But the word is often used for country
and is generally so
understood here; the Targum is
"in the cities of the Philistines;'in one
or other of them
first for a while in Ashdod
and then for some time in Gath
and last in Ekron
and in all seven months from the time of its being taken;
and it being in wheat harvest when it was returned
1 Samuel 6:13
these seven months will carry us back to the beginning of winter
or towards
the end of autumn
when the battles between Israel and the Philistines were
fought
and the ark was taken. JosephusF4Antiqu. l. 6. c. 1. sect. 4.
says it was with the Philistines four months only
contrary to the text.
1 Samuel 6:2 2 And
the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners
saying
“What shall we
do with the ark of the Lord?
Tell us how we should send it to its place.”
YLT
2and the Philistines call
for priests and for diviners
saying
`What do we do to the ark of Jehovah? let
us know wherewith we send it to its place?'
And the Philistines called for the priests and for the diviners
.... The one
were skilled in the rites and ceremonies of religion
not only of their own
but of other nations
particularly of Israel; and that they were not strangers
to the history and affairs of that people is plain from 1 Samuel 6:6 and
the other were skilled in judicial astrology
and knowledge of future events
at least as they pretended to; and therefore were both thought fit persons to
advise with on the occasion of the ark
and the circumstances they were in
through that:
saying
what shall we do to the ark of the Lord? shall we send
it back to its own land
or not? the Ekronites had moved it might be sent back
and the five lords sent for the priests and diviners to have their advice upon
it
whether it was right or not
and what they should do to it
or with it; for
if it was advisable to send it back
then another question follows:
tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place; whether on
men's shoulders
or on horses or asses
or on a carriage; and whether just as
it was taken
or with some presents with it.
1 Samuel 6:3 3 So they said
“If you send
away the ark of the God of Israel
do not send it empty; but by all means
return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed
and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”
YLT
3And they say
`If ye are
sending away the ark of the God of Israel
ye do not send it away empty; for ye
do certainly send back to Him a guilt-offering; then ye are healed
and it hath
been known to you why His hand doth not turn aside from you.'
And they said
if ye send away the ark of the God of Israel
send
it not empty
.... As they perceived they had either resolved upon
or at least
were inclined to do; and which they also thought advisable and therefore would
have them by no means send it away as it was
but with some presents along with
it; for the meaning of this word "empty" is not that they should take
care that all that were in it when taken should go with it
and nothing be
taken out of it
or it be stripped of its contents; but that some gifts and
offerings should be sent along with it: perhaps they might have some notion of
or respect unto a law in Israel
Exodus 23:15 or
might say this from a common principle received among Heathens
that deities
were to be appeased by giftsF5"Munera crede mihi"
&c.
Ovid. de arte amandi
l. 3. :
but in any wise return him a trespass offering; here again
they seem to have some notion of the sorts and kinds of sacrifice among the
Israelites; and advise to a trespass offering
to make satisfaction and
atonement for the offence they had committed in taking away the ark; and that
they should make restoration not only by returning the ark
but by sending an
expiatory offering along with it:
then ye shall be healed; of the disease with
which they were smitten; for it seems it still continued on them
at least on
many:
and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you; which was
because the ark was detained by them; but when that should be sent home
and
they be healed upon it
then it would be a plain case that the reason why the
disease was inflicted and continued was because of that.
1 Samuel 6:4 4 Then they said
“What is
the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?” They answered
“Five
golden tumors and five golden rats
according to the number of the lords
of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of you and on your
lords.
YLT
4And they say
`What [is]
the guilt-offering which we send back to Him?' and they say
`The number of the
princes of the Philistines -- five golden emerods
and five golden mice -- for
one plague [is] to you all
and to your princes
Then said they
what shall be the trespass offering which we shall
return to him?.... They paid a great deference to their priests and diviners
and were willing to be directed in all things by them; being ignorant of what
was most proper in this case
and might be acceptable to the God of Israel:
they answered
five golden emerods
and five golden mice; images of
these made of gold
as appears from the next verse; the reason of the former is
easy
from the above account of the disease they were afflicted with; but of
the latter no hint is given before: indeed in the Vulgate Latin and Septuagint
versions of 1 Samuel 5:6 is
inserted a clause
that"mice sprung up in the midst of their
country;'which is not in the Hebrew text
nor in the Chaldee paraphrase; yet
appears to be a fact from the following verse
that at the same time their
bodies were smitten with emerods
their fields were overrun with mice
which destroyed
the increase of them; wherefore five golden mice were also ordered as a part of
the trespass offering
and five of each were pitched upon:
according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; who were
five
and so the principalities under them; see Joshua 13:3.
for one plague was on you all
and on your lords; the lords and
common people were equally smitten with the emerods
and the several principalities
were alike distressed and destroyed with the mice; and therefore the trespass
offering
which was a vicarious one for them
was to be according to the number
of their princes and their principalities; five emerods for the five princes
and their people smitten with emerods
and five mice on account of the five
cities and fields adjacent being marred by mice.
1 Samuel 6:5 5 Therefore you shall make
images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land
and you
shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from
you
from your gods
and from your land.
YLT
5and ye have made images of
your emerods
and images of your mice that are corrupting the land
and have
given honour to the God of Israel; it may be He doth lighten His hand from off
you
and from off your gods
and from off your land;
Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods
.... Which
some take to be images of the five cities; others of a man at large with the
disease in his back parts; others of that part of the body of a man only
in a
circular form
in which the disease was
and expressing that; but the text is
plain for the disease only
as high large tumours: though MaimonidesF6Moreh
Nevochim
par. 1. c. 1. says of these images
that the word is attributed to
them
not because of their external form
but because of their spiritual virtue
and influence; whereby the damage or disease of the emerods in the hinder parts
were removed: he seems to take them to be a sort of talismans
which were
images of a disease or noxious creature a country was infected with
made under
some celestial influence to remove it; and TavernierF7Travels
p.
92. relates
as Bishop Patrick observes
that it is a practice with the Indians
to this day
that when any pilgrim goes to a pagoda for the cure of any
disease
he brings the figure of the member affected
made either of gold
silver
or copper
according to his quality
which he offers to his god. There
is a tradition among the Heathens
which seems to be borrowed from this
history
and serves to establish the credit of it; the Athenians not receiving
Bacchus and his rites with due honour
he was angry with them
and smote them
with a disease in their private parts
which was incurable; on which they
consulted the oracle
which advised them in order to be rid of the disease to
receive the god with all honour and respect; which order the Athenians obeyed
and made images of the several parts
privately and publicly
and with these
honoured the god in memory of the diseaseF8Scholia in Aristoph.
Acharnen. Act ii. Scen. 1. p. 383
384. Edit. Genev. 1607. : both the disease
and cure are here plainly pointed at:
and images of your mice that mar the land; that devoured
the fruits of it
as these creatures in many instances have been known to do;
and particularly in Palestine
the country of the Philistines
where in some
places their fields were sometimes almost deserted because of the abundance of
them; and were it not for a sort of birds that devoured them
the inhabitants
could not sow their seedF9Magini Geograph. par. 2. fol. 241. : the
Boeotians sacrificed to Apollo Pornopion (which signifies a mouse)
to save
their country from themF11Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 13.
; AristotleF12Hist. Animal. l. 6. c. 37. "----saepe exiguus
mus"
&c. Virgil
Georg. l. 1. v. 181
182. reports of field mice
that
they sometimes increase to such incredible numbers
that scarce any of the corn
of the field is left by them; and so soon consumed
that some husbandmen
having appointed their labourers to cut down their corn on one day
coming to
it the next day
in order to cut it down
have found it all consumed; PlinyF13Nat.
Hist. l. 10. c. 65. speaks of field mice destroying the harvest; AelianusF14De
Animal. l. 17. c. 41. relates such an incursion of field mice into some parts
of Italy
as obliged the inhabitants to leave the country
and which destroyed
the corn fields and plants
as if they had been consumed by heat or cold
or
any unseasonable weather; and not only seeds were gnawn
but roots cut up; so
the AbderitesF15Justin. l. 15. c. 2. were obliged to leave their
country because of mice and frogs:
and ye shall give glory to the God of Israel; by sending
these images as monuments of their shameful and painful disease
and of the
ruin of their fields; owning that it was the hand of the Lord that smote their
bodies with emerods
and filled their fields with mice which devoured them;
seeking and asking pardoning of him by the trespass offering they sent him:
peradventure he will lighten his hand from you: abate the
violence of the disease
and at length entirely remove it:
and from your gods; not Dagon only
but others seem to have
suffered
wherever the ark came: for the Philistines had other deities; besides
Dagon at Ashdod
there were Baalzebub at Ekron
and Marnas at Gaza
and Derceto
at Ashkelon; and perhaps another at Gath
though unknown; and besides the gods
suffered
or however their priests
by the number of men that died
and by the
fruits of the earth being destroyed; which must in course lessen their
revenues: and from off your land; the fruits of which were destroyed by mice.
1 Samuel 6:6 6 Why then do you harden
your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did
mighty things among them
did they not let the people go
that they might
depart?
YLT
6and why do ye harden your
heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? do they not -- when He
hath rolled Himself upon them -- send them away
and they go?
Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts
as the Egyptians and
Pharaoh hardened their hearts?.... And would not let Israel go
when their
dismission was demanded by Moses and Aaron in the name of the Lord; but was
refused from time to time
being given up to judicial blindness and hardness of
heart: and it seems by this
that though it was proposed by some to send back
the ark
and which the priests and diviners approved of; yet there were some
that were against it
who
notwithstanding the plagues inflicted on them
like
Pharaoh and the Egyptians hardened their hearts; which story these priests were
acquainted with by the tradition of their ancestors
this being a fact then
generally known in the world; or by the relation of the Israelites
over whom
they had ruled many years
and were conversant with them:
when he had wrought wonderfully among them: that is
the
God of Israel
though they mention not his name
who had wrought wonders in the
land of Egypt; the ten plagues he inflicted on them are referred to:
did they not let the people go
and they departed? who were
convinced by these plagues that they ought to let Israel go
and by them were
prevailed upon to dismiss them
and the people did go out of their land; and
therefore should not we let the ark go likewise
on whom plagues have been
inflicted for detaining it? and may we not expect more and greater
should we
refuse to dismiss it?
1 Samuel 6:7 7 Now therefore
make a new
cart
take two milk cows which have never been yoked
and hitch the cows to the
cart; and take their calves home
away from them.
YLT
7`And now
take and make one
new cart
and two suckling kine
on which a yoke hath not gone up
and ye have
bound the kine in the cart
and caused their young ones to turn back from after
them to the house
Now therefore make a new cart
.... For there were no
Levites
nor priests of the Lord to carry it upon their shoulders
as it was
wont to be when carried
and therefore they ordered a cart to be made; and they
might know the Levites were allowed wagons to carry some of their sacred things
on
Numbers 7:1 and a
new one for the honour of the ark
as David afterwards did
2 Samuel 6:3.
and take two milch kine
on which there hath come no yoke; which also
might be designed for the honour of the ark; but there was a further view in
it
at least in the providence of God; since two such creatures
who had young
would be apt
if left to themselves
as these were
to return home to them
and
not to proceed on a journey; and being unaccustomed to a yoke
would draw one
way
and another another
in different ways; and not go on in a direct road
as
such that are used to the yoke do:
and tie the kine to the cart; in order to draw it:
and bring their calves home from them; that they
might not cry after them
which would cause them to turn back.
1 Samuel 6:8 8 Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on
the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as
a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away
and let it go.
YLT
8and ye have taken the ark
of Jehovah
and put it on the cart
and the vessels of gold which ye have
returned to Him -- a guilt-offering -- ye put in a coffer on its side
and have
sent it away
and it hath gone;
And take the ark of the Lord
and lay it upon the cart
.... Which was
dispensed with in these uncircumcised Philistines
there being no other to do
this service:
and put the jewels of gold; or rather "vessels
of gold"F16כלי הזהב
"vasa aurea"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
&c. ; the five golden
emerods
and the five golden mice:
which ye return him for a trespass offering
in a coffer by the
side thereof; in a basket
as the Syriac version: in a scrip
as the Arabic;
in a purse
or bag
as JosephusF17Antiqu. l. 6. c. 1. sect. 2. ;
which latter is probable enough:
and send it away
that it may go; that is
set it a going
without any driver or guide; but leave it to take its course of itself to the
land of Israel. JosephusF18Antiqu. l. 6. c. 1. sect. 2. says it was
set in a place where three ways met
that it might take which it might; and the
taking of the right way must be a strong evidence of its being under the
direction of God.
1 Samuel 6:9 9 And watch: if it goes up
the road to its own territory
to Beth Shemesh
then He has done us this
great evil. But if not
then we shall know that it is not His hand that
struck us—it happened to us by chance.”
YLT
9and ye have seen
if the
way of its own border it goeth up to Beth-Shemesh -- He hath done to us this
great evil; and if not
then we have known that His hand hath not come against
us; an accident it hath been to us.'
And see if it goeth up by the way of its own coast to Bethshemesh
.... The
nearest city to the land of the Philistines
which lay on their borders
and
the borders of the tribe of Judah; see Gill on Joshua 15:10. Now
the lords of the Philistines are directed by their priests to observe
whether
these kine
that drew the cart on which the ark was
took the direct road to
the borders of the land of Israel
and to Bethshemesh
the nearest city that
lay on that coast: if so
they might conclude then
he hath done us this great evil; that is
the God of
Israel
whose ark this was; he had inflicted the disease of the emerods on
them
and sent such numbers of mice into their fields
that had destroyed the
increase of them:
but if not
then we shall know that it is not his hand that hath
smote us; but that there is some other cause of it:
it was a chance that happened to us; and so might have been
the case if the ark had never been taken or detained
and to be imputed to
fate
or to the stars
or some secret causes they know not of.
1 Samuel 6:10 10 Then the men did so; they
took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart
and shut up their calves at
home.
YLT
10And the men do so
and take
two suckling kine
and bind them in the cart
and their young ones they have
shut up in the house;
And the men did so
.... Made a new cart
not the lords of the
Philistines
but workmen by their orders:
and took two milch kine
and tied them to the cart; with the gear
that horses
asses
or oxen
were usually fastened to a carriage they drew:
and shut up their calves at home; or
"in the
house"F19בבית "in domo"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c. ; the cow house or stable where they used to be
put; this they did to restrain them from following the cows
which would
disturb them in drawing the cart.
1 Samuel 6:11 11 And they set the ark of
the Lord
on the cart
and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors.
YLT
11and they place the ark of
Jehovah upon the cart
and the coffer
and the golden mice
and the images of
their emerods.
And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart
.... Perhaps
the same men that made the cart; however they were the Philistines
yet were
not punished for touching it
as Uzzah was
though an Israelite
2 Samuel 6:6.
and the coffer with the mice of gold
and the images of their
emerods; which coffer was placed in a purse or bag hung at the side of
the ark
with the golden mice and emerods in it.
1 Samuel 6:12 12 Then the cows headed
straight for the road to Beth Shemesh
and went along the highway
lowing as they went
and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And
the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
YLT
12And the kine go straight in
the way
on the way to Beth-Shemesh
in one highway they have gone
going and
lowing
and have not turned aside right or left; and the princes of the
Philistines are going after them unto the border of Beth-Shemesh.
And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh
.... Though
they had none to drive
lead
or guide them
yet they steered their course to
the road that led to Bethshemesh
though there were other ways they might have
taken; which shows they were under the direction of God himself:
and went along the highway; or
"in one
highway"
or "post"F20במסלה
אחת "in via elata una"
Montanus;
"eadem semita"
Tigurine version; so Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ; though they had never been used to a yoke
they drew together in
one path; and did not draw one way
and another another
as oxen unaccustomed
to a yoke do:
lowing as they went; on account of their calves
which showed their
sense of them
and their natural affection for them; and yet went on
did not
attempt to go back to them; by which it was plain they were under a
supernatural influence:
and turned not aside to the right or to the left; when other
ways presented
on the right hand or on the left; they kept going straight on
in the road that led to the place they were destined for; all which can be
reckoned nothing less than a miracle:
and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border
of Bethshemesh; not before them to guide them
or on the side of the ark to take
care of it
but behind: and not at all out of respect and reverence to it
but
to see what would be the issue of things
whether it would turn out an
imposture or not; and that they might be able to make a true judgment of what
had befallen them
as their priests and diviners had directed them to; they
followed it until it was out of their territories
and in the hands of the
Israelites. This place Bethshemesh is thought by some
as R. Isaiah observes
to be the same with Timnathheres
where Joshua was buried
in Judges 2:9
which
signifies the figure of the sun
as this does the house of the sun; and where
perhaps
when inhabited by the Canaanites
was a temple of the sun; and it was
according to BuntingF21Travels of the Patriarchs
&c. p. 123.
twelve miles from Ekron
from whence the ark came; and so far it was followed
by the Philistines. This was a city given to the Levites
and so a proper place
for the ark to come to be taken care of; hence mention is made of Levites that
took it down from the cart
1 Samuel 6:15; see
Gill on Joshua 21:16.
1 Samuel 6:13 13 Now the people of
Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they
lifted their eyes and saw the ark
and rejoiced to see it.
YLT
13And the Beth-Shemeshites
are reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley
and they lift up their eyes
and
see the ark
and rejoice to see [it].
And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the
valley
.... Which began at Pentecost
in the month Sivan
about our May;
so that there were many people in the fields
who were eyewitnesses of this
wonderful event:
and they lifted up their eyes
and saw the ark
and rejoiced to
see it; for though the ark while in the tabernacle was only seen by the
high priest
when he went into the holy of holies; yet this having been brought
out from thence
and exposed in the camp of Israel
some of this place very
probably were there at that time
and had seen it
and knew it again by its
form and splendour; and which gave them great pleasure to behold
which had
been taken
and had been so long in the hand of the enemy
and the people of
Israel deprived of it; which was the symbol of the divine Presence among them
and now restored to them again; and in this wonderful way
without seeking for
it
without going to war on account of it
without paying a ransom for it; and
was brought to them in a cart drawn by cattle without a driver
the lords of
the Philistines with a large retinue following it. This is to be understood not
of their looking "into" it
as they afterwards did
and were
punished
as Kimchi; but of their looking "on" it.
1 Samuel 6:14 14 Then the cart came into
the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh
and stood there; a large stone was
there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt
offering to the Lord.
YLT
14And the cart hath come in
unto the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite
and standeth there
and there
[is] a great stone
and they cleave the wood of the cart
and the kine they
have caused to ascend -- a burnt-offering to Jehovah.
And the cart came into the field of Joshua
a Bethshemite
.... In that
part of the valley where they were reaping wheat which belonged to him
whom we
nowhere else read; whether a priest or Levite
which is not improbable
since
this was a city of the Levites
or a common Israelite
is not certain:
and stood there where there was a great stone; afterwards
called the great stone of Abel
1 Samuel 6:18. By
the providence of God it was so ordered
that the kine made a stop just at this
place; and proceeded no further
as if sensible they were come to their
journey's end
and had brought the ark into the hands of its friends
and to a
proper place for them to express their thankfulness for it; for this stone
seemed designed to be
as it was
the altar on which the burnt offering
by way
of thanksgiving for the return of the ark
was to be offered; the Jews sayF23Hieron.
Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 75. D. this stone was the altar built by Abraham:
and they clave the wood of the cart
and offered the kine a burnt
offering unto the Lord; the cart they cut in pieces
and laid the wood of it in order
upon the stone
and slew the two cows
and laid their pieces on the wood
and
set fire to it
and burnt them with it
as expressive of joy and thankfulness
that the ark was returned. This was done
not by the lords of the Philistines
as some of the ancient Jews thought
as Kimchi relates
in which they are
followed by some Christian interpreters; but by the men of Bethshemesh
as
Kimchi
by the priests there; for though this was not the proper and usual
place for sacrifice
nor were cows offered in sacrifice; yet this being an
extraordinary case
and thank offerings were necessary as soon as the ark was
returned
these things were dispensed with; and the rather
since Shiloh
where
the tabernacle was
was destroyed; and besides
the ark of the Lord was here
present
which sanctified the place
as it did the tabernacle
and made it fit
for such service; and as for these cows
they had been employed in sacred
service
and the Lord had a right unto them
and claim upon them; and it seemed
not fitting that they should be after employed to any other use and service
than his own; nor were the men of Bethshemesh blamed or punished for this
though they afterwards were for looking into the ark.
1 Samuel 6:15 15 The Levites took down the
ark of the Lord
and the chest that was with it
in which were the articles of
gold
and put them on the large stone. Then the men of Beth Shemesh
offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to the Lord.
YLT
15And the Levites have taken
down the ark of Jehovah
and the coffer which [is] with it
in which [are] the
vessels of gold
and place [them] on the great stone; and the men of
Beth-Shemesh have caused to ascend burnt-offerings and sacrifice sacrifices in
that day to Jehovah;
And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord
.... Or
"had took it down"F24הורידו
"deposuerant"
Meudoza; so Pool. ; for this
though here related
was
done as soon as the ark came into the field
or quickly after
and before the
burnt offering could be made
which was burnt with the wood of the cart; and
though the persons that took it down are called Levites
they were priests
who
were of the tribe of Levi; for it was the work of the priests to take it down
though the Levites then might carry it; and it is remarkable that Bethshemesh
was given to the Kohathite Levites
whose business it was to carry the ark on
their shoulders; see Joshua 21:10.
and the coffer that was with it
wherein the jewels of gold were; the
purse or bag in which were the five golden mice
and the five golden emerods:
and put them on the great stone; both the ark and the
coffer
by which the cart stood
and on which the sacrifice of burnt offering
was probably offered:
and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings
and sacrificed
sacrifices
the same day unto the Lord; besides the burnt
offering of the two cows
they offered others to testify their thankfulness for
the return of the ark; and also peace offerings
on which they feasted with one
another
to express their greater joy.
1 Samuel 6:16 16 So when the five lords of
the Philistines had seen it
they returned to Ekron the same day.
YLT
16and the five princes of the
Philistines have seen [it]
and turn back [to] Ekron
on that day.
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it
.... Observed
all that was done
how the kine performed their journey
drew the cart in which
the ark was straight to Bethshemesh
stopped in a field near it
where it was
received joyfully by the people
and sacrifices offered on account of it:
they returned to Ekron the same day; as they might very well
since it was but twelve miles from Bethshemesh.
1 Samuel 6:17 17 These are the
golden tumors which the Philistines returned as a trespass offering to
the Lord:
one for Ashdod
one for Gaza
one for Ashkelon
one for Gath
one for Ekron;
YLT
17And these [are] the golden
emerods which the Philistines have sent back -- a guilt-offering to Jehovah:
for Ashdod one
for Gaza one
for Ashkelon one
for Gath one
for Ekron one;
And these are the golden emerods
which the Philistines returned
for a trespass offering unto the Lord
.... Along with the ark:
for Ashdod one
for Gaza one
for Ashkelon
one
for Gath one
for
Ekron one; which were the five principalities of the Philistines that
belonged to the five lords before mentioned; and each of these were at the
expense of a golden emerod
and sent it along with the ark to make atonement
for the offence they had been guilty of in taking and detaining it.
1 Samuel 6:18 18 and the golden rats
according
to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the
five lords
both fortified cities and country villages
even as far as
the large stone of Abel on which they set the ark of the Lord
which
stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
YLT
18and the golden mice -- the
number of all the cities of the Philistines -- for the five princes
from the
fenced city even unto the hamlet of the villages
even unto the great meadow on
which they placed the ark of Jehovah -- [are] unto this day in the field of
Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite.
And the golden mice
according to the number of all the cities of
the Philistines belonging to the five lords
.... That is
as many
golden mice as there were cities under the jurisdiction of the five lords
which are the same before mentioned:
both of fenced cities and of country villages; walled and
unwalled towns; it seems by this
as it was but reasonable it should be
that
the several villages adjacent and belonging to the five principal cities
contributed their part towards the expense of the five golden emerods
and five
golden mice
since they were afflicted both in their persons
and especially in
their fields
as well as those in the cities; though Kimchi and others think
that the country villages sent each of them a golden emerod
and a golden
mouse
fearing the presents of the five cities would not serve for them; and
therefore
though the priests and diviners only ordered five of each
according
to the number of the principal cities
yet they of themselves sent more: all
the country villages that reached
even unto the great stone of Abel; the Targum is
"unto
the great stone';and so the Septuagint version
reading Eben instead of Ebal;
or "lamed" is put for "nun"
as "nun" for
"lamed"
Nehemiah 13:7. The
Vulgate Latin version is unto great Abel
taking it for a city
as does
Procopius Gazaeus
who calls it the great city Abel
through which they carried
the ark of the Lord; so JeromF25Trad. Heb. ut supra. (Hieron. Trad.
Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 75. D.)
who takes it to be the same with Bethshemesh
called Abel because of the mourning in it for the men of Bethshemesh after
slain; or to distinguish it from another Abel is called "great"
2 Samuel 20:15 but
it seems plainly to be the same with the great stone
1 Samuel 6:14
here
called Eben Gedolah
here Abel Gedolah
by the change of a letter
having its
latter name by anticipation from the great mourning hereafter made
next
mentioned:
whereon they set down the ark of the Lord; when it was
taken out of the cart
as also the coffer in which were the presents
1 Samuel 6:15
which: stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua the
Bethshemite: the supplement
which stone remaineth
seems necessary
lest it
should be thought the ark remained there unto the time of the writing this
book
which was not true
for it was soon after this fetched to Kirjathjearim;
but the stone remained
and might be seen; and posterity in following times
were told that was the stone on which the ark was put when it returned to
Israel.
1 Samuel 6:19 19 Then He struck the men of
Beth Shemesh
because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck
fifty thousand and seventy men[a] of the
people
and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the
people with a great slaughter.
YLT
19And He smiteth among the
men of Beth-Shemesh
for they looked into the ark of Jehovah
yea
He smiteth
among the people seventy men -- fifty chief men; and the people mourn
because
Jehovah smote among the people -- a great smiting.
And he smote the men of Bethshemesh
.... That is
God smote
them
though they had received the ark with such expressions of joy
and had
offered sacrifices on account of it; yet sinning in one particular after
mentioned
which was highly resented
they were smitten by him with a
thunderbolt
as Josephus saysF26Antiqu. l. 6. c. 1. sect. 4. :
because they had looked into the ark of the Lord; which was
forbidden the Levites
Numbers 4:20 out of
curiosity these men opened the ark
to see whether the Philistines had taken
anything out of it
or put anything into it; and this
when in the tabernacle
being only to be seen by the high priest; and supposing they should never have
the like opportunity again
to look upon the tables of the law which were in
it
took it; and the rather they might be emboldened to this action
since it
had been in the hands of the uncircumcised Philistines
who had profaned it;
and as yet not restored to its pristine purity
holiness
and place:
even he smote of the people fifty thousand and seventy men; but as
Bethshemesh was but a small place
a village
as JosephusF1Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 1. sect. 3. calls it
and it seems not likely that there should be
such a number of persons in it
and especially that should look into the ark;
or that God
who is good and merciful
should destroy so large a number for
this offence
however he might think fit to make an example of some
it is
thought that the case was not as our version represents it. Some who think
there were so many slain
yet distinguish them
seventy of the elders of the
people
and 50
000 of the congregation
or common people
as the Targum; which
accounts not for the difficulty at all: others think that only seventy of the
men of Bethshemesh died
and that 50
000 were such as flocked out of the country
on this occasion; but as this was on the same day the ark came into those
parts
it can hardly be thought that so great a number should be got together
so soon; and still less that they should all of them open the ark
and look
into it. Abarbinel is of opinion that only seventy men of Bethshemesh were
slain
and that the other 50
000 were the Philistines that died on account of
the ark while it was among them; and reads the words
"with the men of
Bethshemesh he smote--even he smote of the people seventy"; that is
of
the men of Bethshemesh; 50
000
that is
of the Philistines
and so this gives
the sum of all that died on account of the ark
both while it was in the hands
of the Philistines
and when returned to Bethshemesh
which is not an
improbable sense: but others
and perhaps more truly
think that only seventy
persons were smitten with death; for the order in which this account is given
is different from all others in the Hebrew text
the lesser number being put
first with a considerable distinguishing accent upon it
whereas the greater
number is always expressed first; it stands thus
"of the people seventy
men; 50
000 men": 5000
according to the Syriac and Arabic versions.
JosephusF2Antiqu. l. 6. c. 1. sect. 3. is express for it that only
seventy men were slain
and so some of the ancient JewsF3T. Bab.
Sotah
fol. 35. 2. T. Hieros. Sanhedrin
fol. 20. 2. Bemidbar Rabba
sect. 5.
fol. 186. 2. ; who say that these seventy were equal to 50
000
because of
their superior excellency and dignity
as Ben Gersom observes
being the
priests of the Lord
or the sanhedrim; but Bochart'sF4Hierozoic.
par. 1. l. 2. c. 36. col. 370. sense seems to be preferable to all others
that
there is a defect of the particle מ
"out
of"; and so to be read
either seventy men out of fifty thousand; that out
of the 50
000 that flocked on this occasion from various parts
seventy were
smitten for the reason before given; or rather seventy men
fifty out of 1000
men; that is
a twentieth part of the number of them
so that
out of 1400
seventy men were struck with death for their curiosityF5So Noldius
No. 779. . Something of this story seems to be retained by tradition among the
Heathens; we are toldF6Pausan. Achaica
sive
l. 7. p. 435. that
when Troy was taken an ark was found
in which was the image of Bacchus; which
being opened by Eurypylus
he was struck with madness as soon as he saw the
image:
and the people lamented
because the Lord had smitten many
of the people with a great slaughter; I see no occasion for
the supplement "many"; it was a great slaughter
if we consider the
awful manner in which it was made
by thunder and lightning
as may be
supposed; however
by an immediate stroke from heaven; and the persons on whom
it was made
men of a sacred character
priests and Levites; and a great
number
considering it was but a small city. Hence the place was called Abel
which signifies weeping
mourning
lamentation
1 Samuel 6:18.
1 Samuel 6:20 20 And the men of Beth
Shemesh said
“Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to
whom shall it go up from us?”
YLT
20And the men of Beth-Shemesh
say
`Who is able to stand before Jehovah
this holy God? and unto whom doth He
go up from us?'
And the men of Bethshemesh said
who is able to stand before this
holy Lord God?.... The Targum is
"before the ark of this holy Lord
God;'which is said either by way of complaint of the severity of God
and the
strictness of his justice; or in reverence of his holiness
acknowledging their
imperfection
sin
and guilt
by reason of which they could not stand before
him; nor can any
but on account of the mercy seat over the ark
or through
Christ
his blood
righteousness
and sacrifice:
and to whom shall he go up from us? that is
the ark
the
symbol of God's presence
which they seem to be desirous of parting with; being
unworthy of it
and conscious of their impurity in comparison of God that dwelt
in it; and of their weakness to give the honour and reverence that was due unto
it; and yet they knew not who were fit for it
or would choose to receive it
because of the danger they were liable to through every inadvertency in them
and irreverence of that.
1 Samuel 6:21 21 So they sent messengers to
the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim
saying
“The Philistines have brought back
the ark of the Lord;
come down and take it up with you.”
YLT
21And they send messengers
unto the inhabitants of Kirjath-Jearim
saying
`The Philistines have sent back
the ark of Jehovah; come down
take it up unto you.'
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim
.... Which was
a city further on in the tribe of Judah
and lay among some woods
from whence
it had its name
and was formerly called Kirjathbaal
from Baal's being
worshipped there; of which see Joshua 15:9
they
might choose to send hither to fetch the ark from them
because it was at a
greater distance from the Philistines
their city Bethshemesh being on the
borders of them; and because it might be a place of greater eminence and
strength
and besides lay in the way to Shiloh
whereby they might suppose it
was intended to be had; unless Shiloh was before this time destroyed:
saying
the Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; which they
doubted not would be good news to them:
come ye down
and fetch it up to you; but say not
one word of the reason of this request
lest it should discourage them; but
rather represent it as a favour to them
and an honour done them
as indeed it
was. Kirjathjearim seems to have stood on an eminence in comparison of
Bethshemesh
and therefore it is said to come down from the one
and go up to
the other. That Bethshemesh was in a valley
see 1 Samuel 6:13 and
this on a hill
1 Samuel 7:1.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)