CHAPTER VI _After the ark had been seven months in the land of the_ _Philistines, they consult their priests and diviners about_ _sending it to Shiloh_, 1, 2. _They advise that it be sent back with a trespass-offering of_ _five golden emerods, and five golden mice_, 3-6. _They advise also that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:2. _THE DIVINERS_] קסמים _kosemim_, from קסם _kasam_, to _presage_ or _prognosticate_. See Deuteronomy 18:10. In what their pretended art consisted, we know not.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 trespass-offering, and ye be cured, then ye shall know why his judgments have not been taken away from you... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:4. _FIVE GOLDEN EMERODS, AND FIVE GOLDEN MICE_] _One_ for each satrapy. The _emerods_ had afflicted their bodies; the _mice_ had marred their land. Both, they considered, as sent by God; and, making an image of each, and sending them as a trespass-offering, they acknowledged this. S... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:5. _HE WILL LIGHTEN HIS HAND FROM OFF YOU_] The whole land was afflicted; the ground was marred by the _mice_; the common people and the lords afflicted by the _haemorrhoids_, and their gods broken in pieces.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:6. _WHEREFORE THEN DO YE HARDEN YOUR HEARTS_] They had heard how God punished the Egyptians, and they are afraid of similar plagues. It appears that they had kept the ark long enough. _DID THEY NOT LET THE PEOPLE GO_] And has he not _wrought_ _wonderfully among us_? And should we n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:7. _MAKE A NEW CART_] It was indecent and improper to employ in any part of the worship of God any thing that had before served for a _common_ purpose. Every thing in the worship of God is said to be _sanctified_: now the general meaning of that word is, _to_ _separate a thing from... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:8. _THE JEWELS OF GOLD_] The word קלי _keley_, which our translators so often render _jewels_, signifies _vessels, implements,_ _ornaments_, c. A _jewel of gold_ has an odd sound to those who always attach the idea of a _precious stone_ to the term.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:9. _A CHANCE THAT HAPPENED TO US_] The word מקרה _mikreh_, from קרה _karah_, to _meet_ or _coalesce_, signifies an event that naturally arises from such concurring causes as, in the order and nature of things, must produce it. Thus a bad state of the atmosphere, putrid exhalations,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:12. _LOWING AS THEY WENT_] Calling for their calves. TO _THE RIGHT HAND OR_ TO _THE LEFT_] Some think they were placed where two roads met; one going to _Ekron_, the other to _Beth-shemesh_. It is possible that they were put in such circumstances as these for the greater certainty... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:14. _THEY CLAVE THE WOOD OF THE CART_] Both the _cart_ and the _cattle_ having been thus employed, could no longer be devoted to any secular services; therefore the _cattle_ were _sacrificed_, and the _cart_ was _broken up_ for fuel to consume the sacrifice.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:15. _THE LEVITES TOOK DOWN_] It appears there were some of the tribe of Levi among the people of Beth-shemesh: to them appertained the service of the tabernacle.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:17. _THESE_ ARE _THE GOLDEN EMERODS_] Each of these cities, in what may be called its _corporate capacity_, sent a golden emerod.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. REMA... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:19. _HE SMOTE OF THE PEOPLE FIFTY THOUSAND AND THREESCORE_ _AND TEN MEN_] The present Hebrew text of this most extraordinary reading stands thus: ויך באנשי בית־שמש - ויך בעם שבעים איש חמשים אלף איש _vaiyach beanshey Beith-shemesh-vaiyach baam shibim ish,_ _chamishshim eleph ish_; "A... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:20. _WHO IS ABLE TO STAND_] Why this exclamation? They knew that God had forbidden any to touch his ark but the priests and Levites; but they endeavoured to throw that blame on God, as a Being _hard to be pleased_, which belonged solely to themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 6:21. _TO THE INHABITANTS OF KIRJATH-JEARIM_] They wished the ark away out of their village, but why they sent to this city instead of sending to _Shiloh_, does not appear: probably Shiloh had been destroyed by the Philistines, after the late defeat of Israel. This is most likely, as... [ Continue Reading ]