1 Samuel 6:18

_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._ And the golden mice. There were five representative images of the emerods, corresponding to the five principal cities of the Philistines. But the number of the golden mice must have been greater, because they were sent from the walled towns as well as the country villages-literally, 'villages of the Perizzites.' UNTO THE GREAT STONE OF ABEL. Abel or Aben means "stone;" so that, without resorting to italics, the reading should be, "the great stone" [Septuagint, lithos megalos]. 'We may understand,' says Taylor, editor of Calmet, 'the passage as implying that the ark was placed...

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....

Verse 1 Samuel 6:18. _AND THE GOLDEN MICE_] The desolation that had been made through the land by these animals had excited a general concern; and it appears from the text, that all the cities of the Philistines, as well _fended_ as without _walls_, sent a golden mouse as a trespass-offering. REMAINETH _UNTO THIS DAY_] Some think the _ark_ is intended, which continued on the stone of Abel for some considerable time after it was placed there; and that the memoranda from which this book was afterwards compiled, were made before it was removed: but it is not likely that it remained any time exposed in the open field. Therefore it is most natural to suppose that it is the _stone_ of _Abel_ which is here intended; and so our translators have understood the place, and have used supplementary words to express this sentiment: "Whi

THE GREAT STONE OF ABEL ... - Probably so called from the “lamentation” described in 1 Samuel 6:19....

EXPOSITION RESTORATION OF THE ARK TO THE ISRAELITES (1 Samuel 6:1). 1 SAMUEL 6:1, 1 SAMUEL 6:2 THE ARK OF JEHOVAH WAS IN THE COUNTRY—literally, the field, _i.e._ the territory—OF THE PHILISTINES SEVEN MONTHS, during which long time the people wherever the ark was deposited were afflicted in their persons with a most painful malady. The princes determined, therefore, to restore it to Israel, and convened THE PRIESTS AND THE DIVINERS, that they might advise them as to the manner i

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 fi...

CHAPTER S 6:1-7:2 _ 1. The counsel of the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:1)_ 2. The ark at Beth-shemesh (1 Samuel 6:10) 3. The ark at Kirjath-jearim (1 Samuel 6:21; 1 Samuel 7:1) The ark had remained among the Philistines seven months. For them they were months of suffering and deadly destruction. Now they plot to get rid of the ark and of Him whose hand rested so heavily in judgment upon them. The advice of the heathen priests and diviners is that the ark should be sent away with votive offerings of gold, representing that which had plagued them. This was a heathen custom, which has also been adopted and is pract

1 SAMUEL 6:1 TO 1 SAMUEL 7:1. ARK BROUGHT BACK TO BETH-SHEMESH; PLAGUE BREAKS OUT THERE; ARK HOUSED AT KIRIATH-JEARIM. 1 Samuel 6:1 may not belong to the main story; 2 would be a better continuation of 1 Samuel 5:12. At the end of the verse LXX adds And their land swarmed with mice. This would prepare for the mice in 1 Samuel 6:4 f., 1 Samuel 6:11; 1 Samuel 6:18. Possibly these references t

The plan carried out and the Ark restored to Israel 12. _took the straight way to the way of Beth-skemesh_ Better, WENT STRAIGHT FORWARD ON THE ROAD TO BETH-SHEMESH. _lowing as they went_ For their lost calves....

_The Ark Returned._ 1 Samuel 6:10-18 10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: 11 And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. 12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, _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 Beth-shemesh. 13 And _they of_ Beth-shemesh _were_ reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see _it._ 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 offer