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1 Samuel
Chapter Six
1 Samuel 6
Chapter Contents
The Philistines consult how to send back the ark. (1-9)
They bring it to Bethshemesh. (10-18) The people smitten for looking into the
ark. (19-21)
Commentary on 1 Samuel 6:1-9
(Read 1 Samuel 6:1-9)
Seven months the Philistines were punished with the presence
of the ark; so long it was a plague to them
because they would not send it
home sooner. Sinners lengthen out their own miseries by refusing to part with
their sins. The Israelites made no effort to recover the ark. Alas! where shall
we find concern for religion prevail above all other matters? In times of
public calamity we fear for ourselves
for our families
and for our country;
but who cares for the ark of God? We are favoured with the gospel
but it is
treated with neglect or contempt. We need not wonder if it should be taken from
us; to many persons this
though the heavies of calamities
would occasion no
grief. There are multitudes whom any profession would please as well as that of
Christianity. But there are those who value the house
the word
and the
ministry of God above their richest possessions
who dread the loss of these
blessings more than death. How willing bad men are to shift off their
convictions
and when they are in trouble
to believe it is a chance that
happens; and that the rod has no voice which they should hear or heed!
Commentary on 1 Samuel 6:10-18
(Read 1 Samuel 6:10-18)
These two kine knew their owner
their great Owner
whom
Hophin and Phinehas knew not. God's providence takes notice even of brute
creatures
and serves its own purposes by them. When the reapers saw the ark
they rejoiced; their joy for that was greater than the joy of harvest. The
return of the ark
and the revival of holy ordinances
after days of restraint
and trouble
are matters of great joy.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 6:19-21
(Read 1 Samuel 6:19-21)
It is a great affront to God
for vain men to pry into
and meddle with the secret things which belong not to them
Deuteronomy 29:29; Colossians 2:18. Man was
ruined by desiring forbidden knowledge. God will not suffer his ark to be
profaned. Be not deceived
God is not mocked. Those that will not fear his
goodness
and reverently use the tokens of his grace
shall be made to feel his
justice. The number smitten is expressed in an unusual manner in the original
and it is probable that it means 1170. They desire to be rid of the ark.
Foolish men run from one extreme to the other. They should rather have asked
How may we have peace with God
and recover his favor? Micah 6:6
7. Thus
when the word of God works
with terror on sinners' consciences
they
instead of taking the blame and
shame to themselves
quarrel with the word
and put that from them. Many stifle
their convictions
and put salvation away from them.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel》
1 Samuel 6
Verse 1
[1] And
the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
Seven months — So
long they kept it
as loath to lose so great a prize
and willing to try all
ways to keep it.
Verse 3
[3] And they said
If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel
send it not
empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed
and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
It shall be known —
You shall understand
what is hitherto doubtful
whether he was the author of
these calamities
and why they continued so long upon you.
Verse 4
[4] Then
said they
What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?
They answered
Five golden emerods
and five golden mice
according to the
number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all
and on
your lords.
Emerods —
Figures representing the disease. These they offered not in contempt of God
for they fought to gain his favour hereby; but in testimony of their
humiliation
that by leaving this monument of their own shame and misery
they
might obtain pity from God.
Mice —
Which marred their land by destroying the fruits thereof; as the other plague
afflicted their Bodies.
Verse 5
[5]
Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods
and images of your mice that
mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he
will lighten his hand from off you
and from off your gods
and from off your
land.
Give glory —
The glory of his power in conquering you
who seemed to have conquered him; of
his justice in punishing you
and of his goodness if he relieve you.
Verse 6
[6] Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts
as the Egyptians and Pharaoh
hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them
did they not
let the people go
and they departed?
Wherefore
… —
They express themselves thus
either because some opposed the sending home the
ark
though most had consented to it; or because they thought they would hardly
send it away in the manner prescribed
by giving glory to God
and taking shame
to themselves.
Verse 7
[7] Now
therefore make a new cart
and take two milch kine
on which there hath come no
yoke
and tie the kine to the cart
and bring their calves home from them:
Milch kine
… — In
respect to the ark; and for the better discovery
because such untamed heifers
are apt to wander
and keep no certain and constant paths
as oxen accustomed
to the yoke do
and therefore were most unlikely to keep the direct road to
Israel's land.
From them —
Which would stir up natural affection in their dams
and cause them rather to
return home
than to go to a strange country.
Verse 9
[9] And
see
if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh
then he hath
done us this great evil: but if not
then we shall know that it is not his hand
that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
His own coast — Or
Border
that is
the way that leadeth to his coast
or border
namely
the
country to which it belongs.
Then he
… —
Which they might well conclude
if such heifers should against their common
use
and natural instinct
go into a strange path
and regularly and constantly
proceed in it
without any man's conduct.
Verse 12
[12] And
the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh
and went along the
highway
lowing as they went
and turned not aside to the right hand or to the
left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of
Bethshemesh.
Beth-shemesh — A
city of the priests
who were by office to take care of it.
Loving —
Testifying at once both their natural and vehement inclination to their calves
and the supernatural power which over-ruled them to a contrary course.
The lords went — To
prevent all imposture
and to get assurance of the truth of the event. All
which circumstances tended to the greater illustration of God's glory.
Verse 14
[14] And
the cart came into the field of Joshua
a Bethshemite
and stood there
where
there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart
and offered the
kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
They —
Not the lords of the Philistines
but the Beth-shemites
the priest that dwelt
there.
Offered the kine —
There may seem to he a double error in this act. First
that they offered
females for a burnt-offering
contrary to Leviticus 1:3. Secondly
that they did it in a
forbidden place
Deuteronomy 12:5
6. But this case being
extraordinary
may in some sort excuse it
if they did not proceed by ordinary
rules.
Verse 18
[18] And
the golden mice
according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines
belonging to the five lords
both of fenced cities
and of country villages
even unto the great stone of Abel
whereon they set down the ark of the LORD:
which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua
the Bethshemite.
Villages —
This is added for explication of that foregoing phrase
all the cities; either
to shew
that under the name of the five cities were comprehended all the
villages and territories belonging to them
in whose name
and at whose charge
these presents were made; or to express the difference between this and the
former present
the emerods being only five
according to the five cities
mentioned
verse 17
because it may seem
the cities only
or
principally
were pestered with that disease; and the mice being many more
according to the number of all the cities
as is here expressed: the word city
being taken generally so
as to include not only fenced cities
but also the
country villages
and the fields belonging to them.
Abel — This
is mentioned as the utmost border of the Philistines territory
to which the
plague of mice extended. And this place is here called Abel
by anticipation
from the great mourning mentioned in the following verse. It is desirable
to
see the ark in its habitation
in all the circumstances of solemnity. But it is
better to have it on a great stone
and in the fields of the wood
than to be
without it. The intrinsic grandeur of divine ordinances ought not to be
diminished in our eyes
by the meanness and poverty of the place
where they
are administered.
Verse 19
[19] And
he smote the men of Bethshemesh
because they had looked into the ark of the
LORD
even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men:
and the people lamented
because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a
great slaughter.
Had looked —
Having now an opportunity which they never yet had
it is not strange they had
a vehement curiosity to see the contents of the ark.
Of the people — In
and near Beth-shemesh and coming from all parts on this occasion.
Verse 20
[20] And
the men of Bethshemesh said
Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God?
and to whom shall he go up from us?
Who is able
… —
That is
to minister before the ark where the Lord is present. Since God is so
severe to mark what is amiss in his servants
who is sufficient to serve him?
It seems to be a complaint
or expostulation with God
concerning this great
instance of his severity.
And to whom
… —
Who will dare to receive the ark with so much hazard to themselves. Thus when
the word of God works with terror on men's consciences
instead of taking the
blame to themselves
they frequently quarrel with the word
and endeavour to
put it from them.
Verse 21
[21] And
they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim
saying
The
Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down
and fetch it
up to you.
Kirjath-jearim —
Whither they sent
either because the place was not far off from them
and so
it might soon be removed: or because it was a place of eminency and strength
and somewhat farther distant from the Philistines
where therefore it was
likely to be better preserved from any new attempts of the Philistines
and to
be better attended by the Israelites
who would more freely and frequently come
to it at such a place
than in Beth-shemesh
which was upon the border of their
enemies land.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1 Samuel》
06 Chapter 6
Verses 1-21
Verse 1
And the ark of God was in the country of the Philistines.
Terrible aspects of God’s character
At last the ark leaves the land of the Philistines. For seven
terrible months it had spread among them anxiety
terror
and death. Nothing
but utter ruin seemed likely to spring from a longer residence of the ark in
their territories. Glad were they to get rid of it
golden emerods
golden
mice
new cart
milch kine
and all. It is a solemn truth that there are
aspects of God’s character
aspects of the Saviour’s character
in which He is
only a terror and a trouble. These are the aspects in which God is seen opposed
to what men love and prize
tearing their treasures away from them
or tearing
them away from their treasures. It is an awful thing to know God in these
aspects alone. Yet it is the aspect in which God usually appears to the sinner.
It is the aspect in which our consciences present Him when we are conscious of
having incurred His displeasure. And while man remains a sinner and in love
with his sin he may try to disguise the solemn fact to his own mind
but it is
nevertheless true that his secret desire is to get rid of God. (W. G.
Blaikie
D. D.)
Verse 3
Send it not empty.
Superstition the ape of true devotion
These superstitious priests can counsel them not to send away the
ark of God empty
but to give it a sin offering. They had not lived so far away
from the smoke of Jewish altars
but that they knew God was accustomed to
manifold oblations. No Israelite could have said better; superstition is the ape
of true devotion
and if it look not to the ground of both many times it is
hard
by the very outward acts
to distinguish them. Nature itself teacheth us
that God loves a full hand. He that hath been so bountiful to us as to give us
all looks for a return of some offering from us. If we present Him with nothing
but our sins how can we look to be accepted? The sacrifices under the Gospel
are spiritual; with these must we come into the presence of God if we desire to
carry away remission and favour. (Bishop Hall.)
Verse 4
What shall be the trespass offering?
Offerings to the gods
The idea of presenting offerings to the gods corresponding with
the object in connection with which they were presented was often given effect
to by heathen nations. “Those saved from shipwreck offered pictures of the
shipwreck
or of the clothes which they had on at the time
in the Temple of
Isis; slaves and captives
in gratitude for the recovery of their liberty
offered chains to the Lares
retired gladiators
their arms to Hercules; and in
the fifth century a custom prevailed among Christians of offering in their
churches gold or silver hands
feet
eyes
etc.
in return for cures effected
in those members respectively in answer to prayer. This was probably a heathen
custom transferred into the Christian Church
for a similar usage is still
found among the heathen in India.” (Speaker’s Commentary.)
Verse 9
It was a chance that happened to us.
The ministry of chance
The world believes in chance
and without doubt there is some
ground for its belief
but whether that ground constitutes a real foundation we
may doubt. What does chance mean? It means that it is something which happens
falls out
without being foreseen or intended. Nothing happens unforeseen by
the Great Mind that rules over all. All chance is “direction which thou canst
not see;” but though we do not see it the direction was not the less there.
1. The doctrine of chance has been applied to the formation of the
world. It has been said that the world is the result of the interaction of the
atoms through all the past Eternity
at last falling by chance into an orderly
arrangement. Let us suppose an immense number of alphabets were thrown
together--a sufficient number of them
for instance
to make up the Bible
say
a million of letters or so--and that someone were to be appointed to throw them
up every second through a hundred million of years
is there any likelihood
that they would come down once in such an order as to make the Bible
or a
single book of the Bible
or a single chapter of the Bible
or a single verse?
Neverse Yet that is just what Lucretius supposed to happen with the making of
the world from the interaction of the atoms. There must be intelligence; there
must be design to elicit that which we call the world. The Greek word which we
translate “world” signifies something arranged
something orderly
and hence
beautiful.
2. Tendencies
that is
laws
are capable of being observed and
provided for. And this is the great business of man
as Bacon observed
“Man
the minister and interpreter of nature
does and understands as much as his
observations on the order of nature
either with regard to things or the mind
permit him
and neither knows nor is capable of more.” That is
he is to find
out just what order that is which God has given to nature
and guide himself
accordingly. If things were only to fall out by chance it would be utterly
impossible to foresee or to guide ourselves in view of any event. If we found
that the hard brick of today was soft as its original clay tomorrow
and that
without any perceptible reason; or the strong timber was attacked with a
weakness at varying and uncertain intervals; or that the slate which threw oft
the rain of yesterday was become a sieve to the torrent of today; or that the
window which was translucent had suddenly become opaque; if we could assign no reason
for these sudden changes
and all other things were alike in this
we should be
utterly incapable of any useful work. If the human mind were powerful enough to
take in and calculate all the various forces which enter into the movements of
each
it would be able to show the reasons for the slightest change in the
direction and force of the wind
of the smallest flock of the cloud
and of
every flash of the aurora of the north sky
and of every variation in the
health of the hypochondriac. It is yet possible that science may be able to
predict what was
in former days
only possible to prophecy.
3. But it may be asked
“What do you make of a miracle? Is not that
such a breach of the order and continuity of nature as would be equivalent to
the intrusion of chance?” We say no
for a miracle is only the operation of a
higher law--it is only the result of the influence of the Great Mechanic
who
surely
should not be left out of our calculation of what is possible in this
complex world of ours. Science should modestly admit that there may be
direction which she cannot see--that there is a Providence “which shapes our
ends
rough hew them as we will”--that outside the framework of nature there is
an intelligent Mind
and that there may be reasons for its interference just as
strong as those which operate on the factory director to mend a broken wheel or
to reduce a too violent motion. This sphere
called in our imperfect vocabulary
that of miracle
is far removed from that of chance
where uncertainty
doubt
and
incapacity ever reign. But it may be suggested here that we should enter into
some inquiry about prayer
and about its power to resist the usual order of
nature
and thus
as it were
to set aside the government of law. Now
here I
would say that
in connection with prayer
we must bear in mind that with its
answer
in the Scriptures
the ministry of angels is closely associated.
Verily
it is a poor science which takes cognizance alone of the seen and
tangible
the weighable and measurable
while there are around us in the
ambient ether
or within us in the recesses of the mind
the ministering
spirits
“sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation.” But
it is to be observed
that whatever is done by these ministering spirits
is
done
not to the production of confusion in the world
but in entire accordance
with the lower laws which science observes. To our thought there can be no
disorder introduced
when the superior forces are taken into account. Let us
take the case of the resurrection of Christ. Science
which took no account of
the Spirit of holiness
no account of the Spirit of God with which He was
filled above measure
said it was not possible that He should rise again; but
the Apostle tells us
it was not possible that He should be holden of death.
God was in Him with such presence and power that death was overcome
and life
violently taken away
was restored. Without the Divine power in Christ
the
scientific men of the day were perfectly right in assuming the impossibility of
the resurrection; but (and here is no chance
but the presence of mighty cause)
they were all astral in thinking that there was no resurrection for Him. It was
absolutely certain that He should rise again; there was a cause mightier than
death operating to His restoration. All this is certainly according to law
as
Paul says: “The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death.” It may be observed that
at least
in those
cases which have been dwelt upon by pious persons as answers to prayers
naturalists have invariably reasoned that the same results would have happened
without the intervention of prayer at all--which means that they
at least
did
not find that any disorder occurred by any power which prayer exercised. These
interventions in answer to prayer
by angelic agency or otherwise
seem to give
no reason to affirm that chance has any scope or play in the world. This being
understood
we may also say a word regarding the frequency of such spiritual
agency’s operations. Are they of frequent
or only of casual and fitful
occurrence? Were they confined to Palestine and prophetic periods
or are they
in operation at all times and spheres of the world? It reply
we say
without
doubt
they are always working as they are always living
and working according
to law
that is
according to the direction of God. But we may surely affirm
that they do not interfere with any law of nature
nor are they to be relied on
in answer to any prayer offered up to guard us against calamities which we
might have avoided
or which we have brought on ourselves by want of proper
foresight.
4. There being no such thing
then
as chance
and no violation of
the laws of matter by higher power
it is clearly our duty to know what those laws
are--especially those which regulate the business
trade
profession
or
calling of each. It may be that
after we have done our best
we shall still be
ignorant of many things which it greatly concerns us to know
our ignorance of
the same bringing to us loss
disaster
even death. But that we might
by
exercising foresight
avoid great calamities is certain. One-half
two-thirds
three-fourths of the accidents that occur
destructive of life and limb
should
have been avoided. Why should scaffolds be continually falling
dashing human
beings to the earth shattered corpses
when a rope of sufficient thickness
or
a pole of sufficient firmness
would have prevented the catastrophe? Why should
the shop fall under its load
when a trifling bond would have hem its walls
perpendicular? Why should a house be burned
when a little care would have
cured a defective flue? Why should the ship sink in the ocean
when a good
lookout would have avoided collision with the iceberg or the other ship
crossing the course. Be it observed
not one of these nor similar accidents but
might have been foreseen and prevented. In every case the material employed
followed explicitly the laws of its own being. The falling scaffold
the
sinking building
the burning city
all took place according to law. When any
great disaster happens to a building
we cannot
on that account
say that
Heaven is enraged against it
or that it is a judgment on it for the
immoralities there nurtured. The judgment is against the folly
the perverseness
the sin of imprudence
carelessness
want of foresight
or wickedness implied
in the faulty construction for the sake of gain. Say not that those on whom the
tower of Siloam fell were greater sinners than the others in Jerusalem on whom
no such judgment came. What we are concerned with is the vast importance of
prudence and care in regard to every building where human lives might
with
such provision
be imperilled.
5. But still there is one thought which it is important for us to
impress upon you. Place yourselves in no peril to which duty does not
call--nay
let us broaden the injunction
walk in no path to which duty does
not beckon the way
though absolutely safe. We have no promise that we shall
have safety save in the paths of right--nay
not even of bodily safety there.
Though the outer man perish the inner man will live unhurt amid the war of
elements
the wrack of matter
and the crash of worlds. (J. Bonnet
D. D.)
Verse 12
Lowing as they went.
The heart going toward heaven
How many
many times have men gone by their tears to the gate of
heaven who never could have been drawn there by the mere presentation of truth.
As the kine went lowing with the ark
so the heart goes lowing toward heaven
seeking its own
and finding them
in hope
in imagination
and resting only
when by faith it is brought again consciously near to them in the kingdom of
the Eternal Father. (H. W. Beecher.)
Verse 13
And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the
valley.
The harvest field
The words of the text give a harvest scene.
I. Signs from God.
Every harvest scene is a new Divine revelation. Thousands of years have rolled
away since He promised that “while the earth remaineth
seed time and harvest
shall not fail.” In the fulfilment of that promise
how much of God is seen!
1. There is His goodness. Provision is made for man and beast.
2. There is His power.
3. There is His faithfulness.
4. There is His eternity.
He who fulfils today in fields of ripened corn a promise made
thousands of years ago
must be independent of the revolutions of times and
circumstances. It is said that Dr. Johnson took off his hat whenever he passed
a steeple. But he must have a dull soul who feels no reverence when walking
through ripened cornfields. In the harvest fields we see--
II. Life from
death. The grain which the sower dropped into the soil in spring underwent the
process of dissolution and death. For weeks it lay buried in the dust. All this
exuberance of the harvest field has come out of apparent death.
1. It symbolises spiritual labour. The true Christian teacher
philanthropist
reformer
minister
like the husbandman
has his seed buried
for a time. However
though he dies
the seed lives
and will rise
grow
and
ripen to perfection.
2. This exuberance in the harvest field illustrates human life on
earth. The harvest field reminds us of the true education of man. Like the seed
sown
it is the bringing out of what is in the soul--the moral ego. Some
teachers speak of the mind as a vessel
some as a stone. And the idea is to
fill up the vessel
to polish the stone. But it is neither stone nor vessel; it
is a seed. You cannot fill it
you cannot polish it. You must bring it out. Man
at birth is sown into the earth
like seed
in two respects. The seed existed
before it was sown. Man existed before he was born into this world. The seed
required sowing in order for its development. Man required birth into this
world in order for the development of his powers. As a seed
man differs from
other germinant existences in two respects:--
III. Like from like.
Each seed has come forth in its own kind. Man reaps like what he sows.
1. It is thus in spiritual things.
2. It is thus in bodily development. In the harvest field we see--
IV. Much from
little. Each seed is multiplied
some thirty
some sixty
some a hundred fold.
So wondrously prolific is the seed that one single grain in the course of time
will cover continents. One thought has formed a character and one character has
changed the destiny of a nation. Much from little characterises all God’s
operations. In the harvest field we see--
V. Blessings from
labour. The crops would never have appeared had man not cultivated the soil and
sowed the precious grain. Every harvest field is a testimony to the importance
of human agency. In the harvest field we see--
VI. Maturity from
progress. From the commencement of germination
the seed went on until it
appeared in the multiplied grains of harvest. All things tend to ripeness:--
1. All things in nature.
2. All things in society.
3. All classes of character. (D. Thomas
D. D.)
Verse 19-20
And He smote the men of Beth-shemesh
because they had Looked into
the ark of the Lord.
Irreverent curiosity
The prying men of Beth-shemesh have had their counterparts many a
time in more recent days. Many men
with strong theological proclivities
have
evinced a strong desire to pry into the “secret things which belong to the Lord
our God.” Foreknowledge
election
free will
sin’s punishment--men have often
forgot that there is much in such subjects that exceeds the capacity of the
human mind
and that as God has shown reserve in what He has revealed about
them
so men ought to show a holy modesty in their manner of treating them. And
even in the handling of sacred things generally
in the way of theological
discussion
a want of reverence has very often been shown. It becomes us all
most carefully to beware of abusing the gracious condescension which God has
shown in His revelation
and in the use which He designs us to make of it. It
was an excellent rule a foreign theologian laid down for himself
to keep up
the spirit of reverence--never to speak of God without speaking to God. (W.
G. Blaikie
D. D.)
Uncurbed curiosity perilous
Men may soon be too bold with hidden mysteries; he that modestly
looks upon the sun
sees a glorious torch
and receives a comfortable light;
but he that fixeth his eyes too earnestly upon it
is struck blind
and because
he will see more than he should
comes in the end to see nothing at all. (T.
Adams.)
Dangerous prying into secret things
He that pryeth into every cloud may be stricken with a
thunderbolt. (Eliza Cook.)
The severity and mercy of God
The city of Beth-shemesh (which signifies the House of the Sun)
was now under such an eclipse and darkness
as peevishly to think that God was
over strict
laying the blame all upon God
and none upon their sins (1 Samuel 6:20)
and therefore desire
to dismiss the ark as the cause of this rigour. David himself had something of
this sin (2 Samuel 6:8-9)
and the Gadarins
much more (Matthew 8:54). God always shows most
severity in punishing His own people
especially in matters that immediately
concerned His worship
and men are not competent judges
because we understand
not the unsearchable reasons of His judgments. Who hath been God’s counsellor
etc? (Romans 11:33-34)
we ought not to search
into God’s secrets
which belong to Him only (Deuteronomy 29:29). It is as unmannerly a
trick to spy into another man’s house with his eyes
as to press into it with
his feet: How much more unlawful was this prying and peeping into the secrets
of God
so expressly against God’s Law? (Numbers 4:15; Numbers 4:18-20). As it is a learned
ignorance not to know what is unrevealed
so it is a sort of madness to pry
into them. It is a wonder that the Philistines were not all cut off (as the
Beth-shemites were here
1 Samuel 6:19) when they first laid
their foul hands upon it
when they first took it captive; and now again
when
they carted the ark (though upon a new cart)
seeing the Lord made a breach
upon David for his doing the very self-same thing (2 Samuel 6:8). No reason can be
rendered for this severity of God against His servants
and His indulgency
towards His enemies
but this
God confers greater privileges upon His own
people
and therefore if they transgress against all their light and love
etc.
He infers greater punishments upon them (Amos 3:2). David and the Beth-shemites
had the light of the law of God by them
and therefore sinned more against
knowledge than those poor blind ignorant Philistines could do: Therefore God
did not only spare them in carting His ark
but also condescended to work this
miracle for their conviction. (C. Ness.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》