CHAPTER SIX

6:1
When the ark of the LORD had been in Philitine territor! e"en #onth$
%
the Philitine &alled for
the 'riet and the di"iner and aid$ (What hall )e do )ith the ark of the LORD* Tell + ho) )e
ho+ld end it ba&k to it 'la&e,(
The Masoretic Text reads, And so is an Ark of Y
e
howah in a land of Philistines seven months. The KJ
follows the MT.
The L reads, And the Ark was seven months in the co!ntr" of the Philistines, and their land #ro!$ht
forth swarms of mice. The %&' doesn(t incl!de the mice. The )*' mentions the mice in a footnote. The
Am+. doesn(t incl!de the mice.
This is one of the several instances where the L mentions the +resence of mice. ,h" are the mice here-
Ma"#e the Masoretics had man!scri+ts where a +ortion was missin$ or !nreada#le. Ma"#e the L
incl!ded the mice, thinkin$ it so!nded reasona#le, since mice are mentioned in verse ..
The Philistines have s!ffered for / months from a +la$!e. The" held on to the ark as lon$ as +ossi#le.
Di"iner These are Philistine reli$io!s officials who so!$h the 0ivine will #" vario!s means1 the" are called
the discerners of hidden knowled$e #" inter+retation of omen. The reli$io!s leaders, the +riests and diviners,
were callin$ the shots now.
-
The! an)ered$ (If !o+ ret+rn the ark of the .od of Irael$ do not end it a)a! e#'t!$ b+t b! all
#ean end a .+ilt offerin. to hi#, Then !o+ )ill be healed$ and !o+ )ill kno) )h! hi hand ha not
been lifted fro# !o+,(
Ret+rn The connotation is that somethin$ was taken wron$f!ll". 2,3)4
end a .+ilt offerin. to hi# 5r re+aration. 2,3)4 Pa$an reli$ions mandated that the worshi+er a++roach
his $od2s4 with somethin$. Th!s the Philistine +riests and diviners advised that an offerin$ #e $iven.
Altho!$h s!ch an offerin$ was normall" an animal sacrifice, occasionall" mone" or other val!a#les were
acce+ta#le 2even in &srael1 see 6 Kin$s 768794. &f the Lord acce+ted the Philistines: offerin$, their +eo+le
wo!ld #e healed1 then the" wo!ld know that his hand had #een res+onsi#le for their miser" 2see also v. ;4.
This $!ilt offerin$ wo!ld #e offered #" the Philistines to the <od of &srael for the ro##er" committed !+on
him #" the removal of the ark. 2P=)4 The" are acknowled$in$ their $!ilt.
<od(s Ark was somewhat like sendin$ 3i#les to a heathen nation>it evan$eli?ed some of the Philistines.
2K!kis4
/
The Philitine aked$ (What .+ilt offerin. ho+ld )e end to hi#*( The! re'lied$ (0i"e .old t+#or
and fi"e .old rat$ a&&ordin. to the n+#ber of the Philitine r+ler$ be&a+e the a#e 'la.+e ha tr+&k
both !o+ and !o+r r+ler,
The ,3) omits the five $old rats. .@ 2n!m#er . cave of @!mran4 and the L omit the rats #!t the MT
adds and five $old mice.
7
)ave fo!r was discovered in A!$!st, 7;A6. )ave fo!r is act!all" two caves 2.a and .#4, #!t since the
fra$ments were mixed, the" are la#eled as .@. )ave . is the most famo!s of @!mran caves #oth #eca!se of
its visi#ilit" and its +rod!ctivit". &t is visi#le from the +latea! to the so!th of the @!mran settlement. &t is #"
far the most +rod!ctive of all @!mran caves, +rod!cin$ ninet" +ercent of the 0ead Bea Bcrolls and scroll
fra$ments 2a++rox. 7A,CCC fra$ments from ACC different texts4.
The $old t!mors and rats stren$then the idea that the +la$!e was the #!#onic +la$!e. The s!+erstition was
that #" sendin$ the models of rats and t!mors o!t of the co!ntr", the real rats and t!mors wo!ld leave. There
was one rat for each Philistine r!ler.
The &sraelites were $iven $old and silver #" the *$"+tians when the" left *$"+t.
The word for +la$!e here is the same word !sed for the +la$!es sent !+on *$"+t.
1
2ake #odel of the t+#or and of the rat that are detro!in. the &o+ntr!$ and 'a! honor to Irael3
.od, Perha' he )ill lift hi hand fro# !o+ and !o+r .od and !o+r land,
2odel 5r ima$es 2Am+.4 or talisman 2P=) +. D.4
rat &n the =e#rew, this is the first mention of the mice.
There are two disasters afflictin$ the Philistines, a +la$!e and rats devo!rin$ the land.
and 'a! honor to Irael3 .od The $ifts are to $lorif" the <od of &srael. There is an ironic contrast #etween
the ref!sal of two Aaronic 2and therefore le$itimate4 +riests to o#e" <od and the willin$ness of Philistine
2and therefore ille$itimate4 +riests to do ever"thin$ necessar" to +lacate <od. The $ift showed deference
and res+ect to the <od of &srael. 2K!kis4
Perha' As <od sees fit. The Philistines are more doctrinal than the &sraelites. The" reco$ni?e <od(s
freedom to act, !nlike the &sraelites who +res!med <od wo!ld $ive them victor".
Perha' he )ill lift hi hand fro# !o+ and !o+r .od and !o+r land The +eo+le are s!fferin$1 their $ods
20a$on4 are s!fferin$1 and the land is s!fferin$. Eats reach sex!al mat!rit" at the a$e of three months, on
avera$e, and ad!lt females are a#le to re+rod!ce ever" fo!r or five da"s. The $estation +eriod lasts a#o!t 6F
da"s, and there is an avera$e of six to twelve "o!n$ in a litter. Gemales ma" have as man" as six litters in a
"ear, s!ccessf!ll" weanin$ a#o!t 6C to FC "o!n$ ever" "ear, on avera$e. &n addition to carr"in$ diseases, rats
also contaminate o!r s!rro!ndin$s with their !rine, feces, and +arasites1 ca!se !ntold dama$e and thro!$h
their $nawin$1 and can inflict +ainf!l, disa#lin$ #ites with their ra?orHshar+ teeth. Eats also rava$e cro+s.
6
Wh! do !o+ harden !o+r heart a the E.!'tian and Pharaoh did* When he treated the# harhl!$
did the! not end the Iraelite o+t o the! &o+ld .o on their )a!*
When he treated the# harhl! The Am+. has ,hen =e had done wonders and made a mock of them.
The %KJ has, ,hen he did mi$ht" thin$s amon$ them. The ,3) has, 0id he not to" with them
I&sraelJ.
The officials ar$!ed not to resist like Pharaoh, when in the end he event!all" $ave them their freedom.
6
The +riests of 0a$on s+eak more wisel" than the corr!+t sons of *li. Bam!el co!ldn(t have said it #etter.
4
(5o) then$ .et a ne) &art read!$ )ith t)o &o) that ha"e &al"ed and ha"e ne"er been !oked, Hit&h
the &o) to the &art$ b+t take their &al"e a)a! and 'en the# +',
The Philistines learned a health" res+ect for the Lord <od. The sent the ark #ack in a new cart and with two
cows that were ceremonial clean.
The Philistines are doin$ all the" can not to offend the <od of the &sraelites.

6
Take the ark of the LORD and '+t it on the &art$ and in a &het beide it '+t the .old ob7e&t !o+ are
endin. ba&k to hi# a a .+ilt offerin., Send it on it )a!$
8
b+t kee' )at&hin. it, If it .oe +' to it
o)n territor!$ to)ard 9eth She#eh$ then the LORD ha bro+.ht thi .reat diater on +, 9+t if it
doe not$ then )e )ill kno) that it )a not hi hand that tr+&k + and that it ha''ened to + b!
&han&e,(
in a &het beide The KJ has a coffer1 +ossi#l" saddle#a$s 2)3)41 or #a$ 2,3)4. The $old o#Kects
were +!t in a chest #eside the Ark.
a .+ilt offerin. Another a!thor :ex+lains this word as com+ensation or re+aration for the infrin$ement of
the ri$hts of another or for the misa++ro+riation of one(s +ro+ert". =ere the Philistines have misa++ro+riated
Yahweh(s ark1 that is their sin. 2<nana Eo#inson4
The idea is if the cows, which had K!st #een se+arated from their calves, made the tri+ it was a si$n that the
Lord of &srael wo!ld acce+t their sacrifice. 3!t if the cows ret!rned to their calves, it wo!ld #e a si$n that
their offerin$ wasn(t acce+ted. &f the cows headed for &srael, it was a si$n that &srael(s <od was leadin$ them.
Bo the cows wo!ld have to $o a$ainst their nat!ral instincts. This was +ro#a#l" the idea of the 0iviners in
verse 7.
9eth She#eh This was a #order cit", often in dis+!te #etween the Philistines and the &sraelites.
that it ha''ened to + b! &han&e Meanin$ if the cows don(t $o towards 3eth Bhemesh, then we know that
the +la$!e is !nrelated to the ca+t!re of the Ark. &t was K!st #ad l!ck. 2)*'4 *videntl" there was dissent
amon$ the reli$io!s leaders of Philistia as to the ca!se of the +la$!e. Bome tho!$ht it was from the <od of
the &sraelites and some tho!$ht it was ca!sed #" somethin$ else. &f the +la$!e were of hemorrhoids, it wo!ld
#e a miracle of <od. Gor ever"one to s!ffer from hemorrhoids wo!ld #e mirac!lo!s. 3!t if the +la$!e
corres+onded to an invasion of rats, that wo!ld #e more non mirac!lo!s. 3eca!se the +riests are !ncertain of
the so!rce of their s!fferin$, & have to think the +ro#lem is the +la$!e and not hemorrhoids.
1;
So the! did thi, The! took t)o +&h &o) and hit&hed the# to the &art and 'enned +' their &al"e,
11

The! 'la&ed the ark of the LORD on the &art and alon. )ith it the &het &ontainin. the .old rat and
the #odel of the t+#or,
3!#onic +la$!e $ets its name from the #!#oes, or t!moro!s swellin$s, in the l"m+h $lands. These t!mors
settle +artic!larl" in the area of the $roin. This fact wo!ld ex+lain the secret +arts mentioned in 7 Bam!el
A8;. &t is well known that rats and mice are the main carriers of this disease, for the fleas that transmit the
F
disease to man live on rodents. The disease is accom+anied #" $reat s!fferin$ and +ain, and the fatalit" rate
ma" r!n as hi$h as /C +ercent in a week(s time.
%o#od" was s!++osed to to!ch the Ark of <od. %o do!#t when =o+hni and Phinehas first #ro!$ht the Ark
into #attle, the" !sed the +ole handles which had #een sli++ed thro!$h the rin$s of the Ark. There is no
reason to think that the +oles had #een removed from the Ark. <iven that it came with its own set of +oles
which allowed eas" handlin$ of the Ark, there wo!ld have #een no reason to tr" to im+rovise some other
wa" of movin$ the Ark. This means that no one who moved the Ark wo!ld come in direct contact with it and
died. 2K!kis4
&(m not s!re what a t!mor looks like, #!t the Philistines made models of them.
1%
Then the &o) )ent trai.ht +' to)ard 9eth She#eh$ kee'in. on the road and lo)in. all the )a!<
the! did not t+rn to the ri.ht or to the left, The r+ler of the Philitine follo)ed the# a far a the
border of 9eth She#eh,
A++arentl" there was a wellH!sed and maintained road which went from *kron 2or a +lace near *kron4 to
3ethHshemesh. This is wh" the cit" of 3ethHshemesh was chosen,
lo)in. all the )a! This is another wa" of sa"in$ mooin$. 3eca!se their calves were not with them. The"
were not ha++" cows. The" were as !nha++" as the +eo+le of Philistia. The Lord directed the cows on their
wa".
the! did not t+rn to the ri.ht or to the left The" were totall" o#edient to the ,ill of <od. ,e sho!ld #e as
o#edient as these cows. A++arentl" for their entire tri+ to 3ethHshemesh, the cows mooed for their calves, #!t
did not t!rn aro!nd or veer from the road. 5ne a!thor writes that normall", it is diffic!lt to drive even the
#est trained cows strai$ht on a road when their calves have K!st #een taken awa" from them. 2K!kis4
The r!lers of the Philistines followed as servant. The" have #een h!m#led #" <od. The Ark is #ein$ sent o!t
of Philista like the &sraelites were sent o!t of *$"+t, with $old.
1-
5o) the 'eo'le of 9eth She#eh )ere har"etin. their )heat in the "alle!$ and )hen the! looked +'
and a) the ark$ the! re7oi&ed at the i.ht,
This was in the month of Ma" or J!ne.
The Philistine +rinces are relieved and the &sraelites are deli$hted.
=ow were the +eo+le a#le to reco$ni?e that this was the Ark- Ma"#e some of the soldiers from the #attle
were in the field.
1/
The &art &a#e to the field of =oh+a of 9eth She#eh$ and there it to''ed beide a lar.e ro&k, The
'eo'le &ho''ed +' the )ood of the &art and a&rifi&ed the &o) a a b+rnt offerin. to the LORD,
This rock will #e a reminder of the events.
.
11
The Le"ite took do)n the ark of the LORD$ to.ether )ith the &het &ontainin. the .old ob7e&t$ and
'la&ed the# on the lar.e ro&k, On that da! the 'eo'le of 9eth She#eh offered b+rnt offerin. and
#ade a&rifi&e to the LORD,
The Le"ite took do)n the ark of the LORD The Levites are onl" mentioned F times in Bam!el and
Kin$s. Their role has #een diminished over the "ears.
Chet 5r #a$. 2,3)4
A lar$e rock was the tem+orar" home of the ark.
The sacrifices were for the safe ret!rn of the Ark. <od +rovided ever"thin$ the +eo+le needed in order to
sacrifice and worshi+, animals, a rock, and wood. <od has +rovided ever"thin$ for !s to worshi+, a 3i#le,
the =ol" B+irit, and faithf!l +astors. 3ethHshemesh was +artiall" settled #" the Levites 2Josh!a 678794.
16
The fi"e r+ler of the Philitine a) all thi and then ret+rned that a#e da! to Ekron,
The watchin$ Philistines acknowled$e #" their witness the s!+remac" of &srael(s <od. 2)3)4
5nce ass!red, the" ret!rned the 76 miles to their cit". 2,3)4 Grom whom does the information of o!r
cha+ter come from- =ow does this information come to the knowled$e of the a!thor of 7 Bam!el- 0avid had
a close relationshi+ with the Kin$ of <ath, one of the Philistine cities of o!r cha+ter, and 0avid conve"ed it
to o!r a!thor.
14
Thee are the .old t+#or the Philitine ent a a .+ilt offerin. to the LORD>>one ea&h for Ahdod$
?a@a$ Ahkelon$ ?ath and Ekron,
5nl" three cities seem to have #een infected. The other two sent an offerin$ to +revent its s+read. 3"
mentionin$ all five cities, the Philistines acknowled$e the <od of &srael(s total victor" over them.
16
And the n+#ber of the .old rat )a a&&ordin. to the n+#ber of Philitine to)n belon.in. to the
fi"e r+ler>>the fortified to)n )ith their &o+ntr! "illa.e, The lar.e ro&k$ on )hi&h the! et the ark of
the LORD$ i a )itne to thi da! in the field of =oh+a of 9eth She#eh,
=ow man" $old rats were sent- The ,3) sa"s #an! $old rats, accordin$ to the man" Philistine towns and
r!stic villa$es. 2,3)4

The" also sent one $old rat for each walled town and for ever" villa$e that the five
Philistine r!lers controlled. 2)*'4 5ther commentaries sa" that $old A rats were sent for each Philistine
lord, who ma" have r!led several cities.
18
9+t ?od tr+&k do)n o#e of the #en of 9eth She#eh$ '+ttin. e"ent! of the# to death be&a+e
the! had looked into the ark of the LORD, The 'eo'le #o+rned be&a+e of the hea"! blo) the LORD
had dealt the#$
%;
and the #en of 9eth She#eh aked$ (Who &an tand in the 'reen&e of the LORD$
thi hol! ?od* To )ho# )ill the ark .o +' fro# here*(
A
The ,3) has another translation. The on of =e&ohiah$ ho)e"er$ did not re7oi&e )ith the 'eo'le of 9eth
She#eh )hen the! a) the ark of Aah)eh, So Aah)eh #ote abo+t e"ent! of the#, The #en of 9eth
She#eh )ondered$ :Who i able to tand before thi hol! thin.* To )ho# ho+ld it .o fro# +*
The Masoretic Text reads, And so =e strikes in ItheJ men of 3ethHshemesh #eca!se the" had seen in an Ark
of Y
e
howah. The %&' follows the MT.
The Peshitta reads, And the Lord str!ck the men of 3ethHshemesh #eca!se the" worshi++ed the ark of the
Lord.
The Be+t!a$int reads, And the sons of Jechonias were not +leased with the men of 3Lthsam"s, #eca!se
the" saw the Ark of the Lord. The ,3) follows the L. The E*3 2Eevised *n$lish 3i#le4 reads, 3!t
the sons of Jeconiah did not reKoice with the rest of the men of 3ethHshemesh when the" welcomed the Ark
of the Lord, and he str!ck down sevent" of them. The +eo+le mo!rned #eca!se the Lord had str!ck them so
heav" a #low.

A++arentl" some of the men were ver" c!rio!s as to what was in the ark and +ried it o+en1 or some of the
+eo+le did not welcome the Ark, +ro#a#l" #eca!se the" knew what had ha++ened to the Philistine cities. &f &
had to choose, &(d $o with the MT and saw some of the +eo+le were c!rio!s a#o!t what was inside the Ark.
The Ark was not s!++osed to #e seen exce+t #" one man, the =i$h Priest, and onl" once a "ear, so "o! can
see wh" +eo+le wo!ld #e c!rio!s and o+en it !+.
e"ent! of the# to death The KJ has fift" tho!sand and three score and ten men. That wo!ld #e AC,C/C
men. Archer sa"s the n!m#er was /C. =e writes that 7Bam!el has more text!al errors than an" other 5T
#ook. &t is hardl" conceiva#le that fift" tho!sand +ersons wo!ld have filled #" the o+en ark in order to +eer
into its interiorM 2+. 79;4 Bo a$rees 0!mmelow, +.7D9. The 3K) sa"s this n!m#er is an !n!s!all" lar$e
n!m#er.
&n the =e#rew, the lar$er n!m#er is $enerall" $iven first>that is, this sho!ld read, 50,000 men and 70 men;
however, it reads 70 men, 50,000 men.
AC,C/C men This readin$ is fo!nd in most =e#rew man!scri+ts and the Be+t!a$int.
/C men A few =e#rew man!scri+ts read /C men. Jose+h!s in his AntiN!ities lists /C deaths.
Bcofield comments8 This n!m#er is $enerall" considered to #e a scri#al error. Bome discre+ant statements
concernin$ n!m#ers are fo!nd in the extant =e#rew man!scri+ts. *rror #" scri#es in transcri+tion of =e#rew
n!m#ers was eas", whereas +reservation of n!merical acc!rac" was diffic!lt. &ns+iration extends onl" to the
inerranc" of the ori$inal a!to$ra+hs.
Those killed were evil men, who disres+ected the ,ord of <od. 5nl" the hi$h +riest co!ld look into the ark.
&t seems the Philistines were off the hook as it were, #!t the &sraelites were #ein$ +!nished. The Jews were
more disres+ectf!l than the heathen Philistines. ,e can sa" toda" that !n#elievers often #ehave #etter than
#elievers.
Who i able to tand before thi hol! thin. 5r who can worshi+ #efore. 2,3)4 The answer is of co!rse no
one.
The 'eo'le #o+rned be&a+e of the hea"! blo) the LORD had dealt the# These men mi$ht have #een
the leaders of the town.
9
%1
Then the! ent #een.er to the 'eo'le of Biriath =eari#$ a!in.$ (The Philitine ha"e ret+rned
the ark of the LORD, Co#e do)n and take it +' to !o+r 'la&e,( 4:1 So the #en of Biriath =eari#
&a#e and took +' the ark of the LORD, The! took it to Abinadab3 ho+e on the hill and &one&rated
Elea@ar hi on to .+ard the ark of the LORD,
Kiriath Jearim 2modern 0eir elHA?ar, a#o!t ten miles northeast of 3eth Bhemesh4 was the ark:s location for
the next twent" "ears 2/864. More s+ecificall", it resided at OA#inada#:s ho!se on the hillO 2/871 6 Bam 98F1 cf.
also %&' m$. on 6 Bam 98.4. The down$raded stat!s of the ark ma" have #een +artiall" d!e to the Philistine
destr!ction of Bhiloh 2not referred to in this context #!t +res!++osed #" Ps /D89C1 Jer /876, 7.1 6989, ;4 and
+erha+s the ta#ernacle as well 2which wo!ld then have #een re#!ilt later4, c. 7CAC 3.). %ot !ntil 0avid:s
accession as kin$ in Jer!salem wo!ld the ark once a$ain #e restored to its ri$htf!l +lace of honor 26 Bam 94.
2Pondervan4
Kiriath Jearim was somethin$ of a ne!tral cit". &t was also called 3aalah 2Josh 7A8;4. 3aal was the main $od
of the Philistines. man" of its inha#itants were <i#eonites, which are )anaanites. Alon$ the same lines,
this was not a Levitical cit", as was 3ethHshemesh, and the Levites of 3ethHshemesh wo!ld rather send their
problem to a cit" not with their #rothers #!t to those for whom the" feel disdain. 2K!kis4
The +eo+le of Kiriath Jearim are #ehavin$ like the Philistines, sendin$ the Ark awa". A$ain and a$ain in
Bcri+t!re, the Jews are recorded as #ehavin$ like !n#elievers.
The stor" of the ark contin!es in 6 Bam. 9.
5!r cha+ter sho!ld incl!de /87 and 6.
/