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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

1 Samuel 6:3

And they, the soothsayers, said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty, without some expiatory gift; but in any wise return Him a trespass-offering, a sacrifice or gift to atone for their offense, to wipe out their debt; then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand is not removed from you; by the cure which the soothsayers expected to follow this course the people would learn that it was actually God's hand which was smiting them, a matter which the priests themselves were not yet quite ready to concede.

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See also 1 Samuel 6:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 6:3. _SEND IT NOT EMPTY_] As it appears ye have _trespassed_ against him, send him an offering for this trespass. _WHY HIS HAND IS NOT REMOVED_] The sense is, If you send him a trespas...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SEND IT NOT EMPTY - See the marginal references. The pagan idea of appeasing the gods with gifts, and the scriptural idea of expressing penitence, allegiance, or love to God, by gifts and offerings to...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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;...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim_. App-4....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _send it not empty_ Cp. Exodus 23:15. All religions regard _offering_as a necessary part of worship. _in any wise_ i.e. "at all events," "certainly." _Wise_means "way of acting," "manner," "mode." _...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _The Decision to Return the Ark. 1 Samuel 6:1-9_ And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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 N...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The TRESPASS OFFERING was always brought to atone for some wrong done to, or some right withheld from, God or man....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE PHILISTINES RETURN THE ARK TO ISRAEL 2. The diviners] The Philistines appear to have been notorious for their attachment to divination: see on Isaiah 2:6....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 6 THE *PHILISTINES RETURN THE *ARK OF GOD TO *ISRAEL V1 The *Philistines had the *ark of the Lord in their country for 7 months. V2 Then they...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SEND IT NOT EMPTY. — The advice was to propitiate with gifts the powerful Hebrew Deity, whom they imagined was offended and angry at the insult offered Him — the being placed in an inferior position i...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּאמְר֗וּ אִֽם ־מְשַׁלְּחִ֞ים אֶת ־אֲרֹ֨ון...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER VII. _ THE ARK AMONG THE PHILISTINES._ 1 Samuel 5:1; 1 Samuel 6:1 ALTHOUGH the history in Samuel is silent as to the doings of the Philistines immediately after their great victory over Isra...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    RETURNED WITH A TRESPASS-OFFERING 1 Samuel 6:1 There is reason to suppose that when the Philistines got possession of the Ark, they destroyed Shiloh. See Psalms 78:60; Psalms 78:64;...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The authorities in Philistia now called a council, and sought the advice of their diviners. It is intensely interesting to observe how unanimously they recognized the action of Jehovah. Whatever the l...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him (b) a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand i...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    If, &c. The lords were already determined to send back the ark. But the priests knew that some still would not believe that it was the cause of their affliction. To convince all, they try an experimen...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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 i...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The first Book of Samuel (or of Kings as with some) brings before us that great change for which the Book of Ruth was a preparation, and in order to which the Spirit of God closed it with the generati...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4, 5, AND 6. In chapter 4 the enemies of God and of His people display their strength; the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. God, in overrul...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 advisa...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 no...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Send it not empty_ They answer directly to the question, first in general; that it must not be sent back without some offering. _In any wise return him a trespass-offering_ As an acknowledgment that...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 After seuen moneths the Philistines take counsell, how to send backe the Arke. 10 They bring it on a new cart with an offering vnto Bethshemesh. 19 The people are smitten for looking into the Arke...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The seven months during which the Philistines had possessor of the ark was a full time in which to prove the severity of God's hand in solemn displeasure. How could they bear it any longer? There is a...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 re...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    EMPTY, i.e. without a present; which they judged necessary, from the common opinion and practice both of Jews and Gentiles. RETURN HIM A TRESPASS-OFFERING; thereby to acknowledge our offence, and obta...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 6:3 said H559 (H8799) away H7971 (H8764) ark H727 God H430 Israel H3478 send H7971 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER 6. The Ark of God Is Returned to Israel With Due Tributes and Reparations (1 Samuel 6:1). Having determined to return the Ark to Israel the Philistines had a problem. How were they going to...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    THEN YE Contrast (Hebrews 9:22)....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ark brought to Joshua. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: The Word of God in the hands of the world brings them condemnation (1 Samuel 6:2) causing them to seek to get rid of it. By refusing to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 6:2. _The ark of the Lord_Hebrews of _Jehovah._ The Philistines knew the name of the Lord; and had heard of his wondrous works in Egypt, 1 Samuel 6:6. They had great light, as indeed all the...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _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...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 6:3 Many ancient religions recognized that it was wrong to mishandle objects used in worship. The Philistines thought the Israelites’ God was angry about how they treated the...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 6:1. “COUNTRY,” literally the _field_. It probably signifies the _cultivated plain_. 1 Samuel 6:2. “DIVINERS.” “That is, the organs of the Deity, who reveal Hi...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION RESTORATION OF THE ARK TO THE ISRAELITES (1 Samuel 6:1). 1 SAMUEL 6:1,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So they called some of their diviners and seers and all, and they said, "What shall we do with this thing? So they said, Well the thing is, send it back to the people of Israel. But don't send it back...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 5:11; 1 Samuel 5:7; 1 Samuel 5:9; 1 Samuel 6:9; Deuteronomy 16

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE ARK IN THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES 1 Samuel 5:1; 1 Samuel 6:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS There are several things we think should be emphasized. 1. EBENEZER MEANS "HITHERTO HATH THE LORD HELPED US." Wh...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    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....

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