2. (1 Sam 6:16-18) Description of the trespass offering from the Philistines along with the return of the ark.
When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day. There are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Askelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron; and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of the fortified cities and of the country villages. The large stone on which they set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
When the five lords of the Philistines saw it: After setting up an elaborate test for God, the Ark of the Covenant goes on a straight course to the land of Israel. The reactions of the Philistines are not recorded, but we can assume by their hasty departure, they were probably convinced that the God of the Israel has indeed orchestrated the path of the cows along with the plagues which afflicted the Philistines.
The golden tumors: the offering of the golden tumors, one for each of the five capital cities. In the preceding chapter, only Ashdod, Gath and Ekron are mentioned as places in which the Ark dwelt. However, in the seven months in which the Ark remained with the Philistines, it is very likely the that Ark was passed from chief city to chief city, like a hot potato.
And the golden mice: Here there is mentioned a far greater number of golden mice being offered that specified in the directions of the priests and diviners (See 1 Samuel 6:4). While the plagues which struck the Philistines was confined to the five cities, the plague of the filed mice no doubt extended over the whole country. The inhabitants of all the villages were anxious to do their part to make atonement to the God of Israel, and to get rid of the plague which was devastating their fields and vineyards.
Both of the fortified cities and of the country villages: In ancient times, large cities built walls which encircled the the city limits. These cities had gates which were locked up and night and would not re-open until the morning. These walls protected the city from an enemy attack. Smaller communities, which often consisted of homes mixed with farm fields and vineyards, did not have any fortifications. This phrase gives clarification that all of the Philistine territory--both large cities and tiny clusters of homes--was afflicted with the plague of mice.
The large stone...is a witness to this day: When important events happen in the Bible, there is almost always a mention of a witness to the events. In Jacob's covenant with Laban, we read "Laban said to Jacob, 'Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set up between you and me. This heap is a witness, an they pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass bu this heap and pillar for me, for harm'" (Genesis 31:51-52). When Joshua warns the Israelites about serving God when they are about to enter the promised land, we read this: "Then Joshua said to the people, 'You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.' The people said to Joshua, 'No, but we will serve the LORD.' Joshua said to the people, 'You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.' And they said, 'We are witnesses.' 'Now therefore, put away the foreign gods, which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.' The people said to Joshua, 'We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His voice.' So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statue and an ordinance in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. Joshua said to all the people, 'Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us; thus it shall be a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God'" (Joshua 24:19-27).
3. (1 Sam 6:19) The men of Beth-shemesh profane God's holiness.
He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter.
Because they had looked into the ark of the LORD: It seems probable that the chief men of the city, most of whom were priests and Levites, after the great celebrations which accompanied the joyful return of the Ark, lost all sense of reverence. Intoxicated with too much fermented beverage, the chief men used this opportunity to gaze into the Ark of the Covenant. However, the men had forgotten God's commandments: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 'Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. But do this to them that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load: but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die'" (Numbers 4:17-20). The Levites were forbidden to look upon the furniture of the Holy of Holies or they shall be subject to death; but instead of hastening to cover the Ark with reverence, they left it exposed to public view, which lead to severe punishment.
We again have an example of God dealing with the Israelites most strictly than He dealt with the Philistines, who broke one of God's commands when they transported the Ark by a cart. (The Ark was to be carried only by the tribe of Levi. "At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him and to bless in His name until this day" (Deuteronomy 10:8). God does this because the Israelites, who had His law, should have known better. It is sad to consider that the Philistines showed more honor to the holiness of God than the Israelites.
He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men: It is very probable that the Hebrew text used here is corrupt. In Hebrew, numbers are written as letters. Here the arrangement of the letters which express this large number is quite unusual. The text is written as "70 men 50,000 men". The absence of the conjunction "and" implies the text is probably corrupt.
The number of stricken ones (50,070) is quite inconceivable. Beth-shemesh was never a large city or a place of great importance. In general, there were no large cities in Israel. Instead, most of the people lived scattered in the land, living mostly on farms. According to some historians, the population of Jerusalem in the height of its glory days was less than 70,000 people. In various versions such as the Septuagint and Chaldee, the text simply reads the number of smitten individuals as 70. Such a probable error as this, to which the text of any ancient book is liable in the process of transmission, does not affect the historical trustworthiness of the narrative. Moreover, acknowledging the possible error in the text in no way precludes a full belief in the Inspiration of Scripture.
The LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter: Assuming that Beth-shemesh was a small village of 100-300 people and that the number of people killed was 70, this indeed was a great slaughter. The Israelites, knowing God's commandments, were judged severely for their transgression. "Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statues and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them" (Deuteronomy 7:9-11).
4. (1 Sam 6:20-21) The men of Beth-shemesh appeal to the men of Kiriath-jearim to take the Ark from them.
Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?" So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD; come down and take it up to you."
Who is able to stand before the LORD: By asking this question, the men of Beth-shemesh make God seem too harsh, instead of acknowledging themselves to be disobedient. The Israelites knew that God had forbidden anyone one to look into the Ark, except the sons of Aaron. Yet, they still desired to throw the blame on God, making Him out to be hard to please.
In their disrespect for God, the men of Beth-shemesh had offended the holiness of the LORD. Now, they know that the LORD is holy, but it does not make them want to be closer to God. Instead, it makes them want to distance themselves from Him. The primary idea behind holiness is the be set apart. That is, God is to be revered and seen as set apart from His creation. When men encounter the holiness of God, they often are filled with fear. When Isaiah is called to be a prophet, he is overcome with anxiety: "Then I said, 'Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts'" (Isaiah 6:5). When Peter saw the abundant power of Jesus, he said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Luke 5:8).
Whom shall go up from us: The holiness of God was a problem for the men of Beth-shemesh, a problem which could only be solved by putting distance between themselves and God. Instead of seeking a way to be made right with God, the men of Beth-shemesh sought to unburden themselves with God's holiness.
They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim: We do not know why the men of Beth-shemesh picked this village. Perhaps, the two places had a good relationship, and the men of Beth-shemesh thought the people of Kiriath-jearim would take good care of the Ark. Perhaps, the two places has a bad relationship, and the men of Beth-shemesh wanted the LORD to curse the people of Kiriath-jearim. Perhaps it was all due to location. Kiriath-jearim was located farther from the Philistines. Therefore, it was more likely to be better preserved from any future attacks by the Philistines. Being farther from the Philistines, the Ark in Kiriath-jearim would be better attended by the Isrealites, who would be more likely to come to visit the Ark than having the Ark remain in Beth-shemesh, which is located on the border of the Philistines' land. Whatever the reason, the village of Kiriath-jearim will receive the Ark and keep it for over 70 years until King David brings it to Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 6).
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Saturday, May 20, 2017
1 Samuel Chapter 6 Part Two (Verses 7-15)
2. (1 Sam 6:7-9) The Philistines decide how to return the Ark, including a test to see if the judgment was from God or by chance.
Now therefore, take and prepare a new cart and two milch cows on which there has never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves home, away from them. Take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you return to Him as a guilt offering in a box by its side. Then send it away that it may go. Watch if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done this great evil. But if not, then we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.
Make a new cart: Out of reverence for the Ark, the Philistines used nothing that had ever served for another purpose. The Israelites do likewise in 2 Samuel 6:3, "They placed the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzziah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart." Similarly, Jesus rode on an ass "whereon never man sat" (Mark 11:2), and His body was lain in Joseph's "new tomb, wherein never man before was laid" (Matthew 27:60 and Luke 25:53).
Two milch cows on which there has never been a yoke: Unyoked cows would be akin to having wild, untamed cows. These two cows would be apt to run back or to wander. They would not have kept to a certain path and would have been very unlikely to keep to the road leading to Israel. Furthermore, taking the calves from the cows would cause them to want to turn back and protect their young. However, if none of these things happened, the Philistines could be almost 100% certain that all these acts were from God. Additionally, an unyoked animal was considered reverent. These cows would have been in the state in which God created them, untainted by man's desires. ("This is the statue of the law which the LORD has commanded, 'Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which there is no defect and which a yoke has never been placed'" Numbers 19:2.) ("It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which had not been worked and which has not pulled a yoke; and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley (Deuteronomy 21:3-4.)
Articles of gold...in a box by its side: Out of reverence to the Ark, the Philistines do not open the Ark to place their offerings. Instead, they place them in a chest on the Ark. This was a smart move for the penalty for looking into the Ark was death. The Israelites, knowing God's laws, choose not to obey them and reaped the consequences. "He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck with a great slaughter" (1 Samuel 6:8).
Beth-shemesh: Meaning "house of sun", it was a priestly city (Joshua 21:16) located on the border of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:10). It was about 12 miles southeast of the Philistine city of Ekron.
By chance: Many people think things happen by chance. Some otherwise intelligent people often fall into this delusion. Assigning such power to "chance" is nonsense because chance has no power. For example. when a coin is flipped, the chance that it will land heads is 50%. However, "chance" does not make it land heads. Whether or not it lands heads or tails is due to the strength with which the coin is flipped, the amount of air current and air pressure, as it flies through the air, etc. "Chance" does not "do" anything other than describe a probability. Therefore, when someone says that the universe or anything else came about by chance, they are ignorant, superstitious or just repeating things they have hear without thinking about what they are saying. Chance makes nothing happen--it is merely a way to describe statistical probabilities. We live in a cause and effect world. Chance is not a cause, but God is!
Recognizing that nothing happens by chance should make us realize that every event is full of important meaning from God. Sometimes, we think things happen which have no significant eternal purpose, and sometimes Christians can be lead far astray when they try to attach a message to everything which happens to them. Nothing happens by chance, but directs the universe.
3. (1 Sam 6:10-12) Against all expectations, the cows go to Israel.
Then the men did so, and took two milch cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. They put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the bow with the golden mice and the likenesses of the tumors. And the cows took the straight way in the direction of Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right or left. And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
The cows took the straight way in the direction of Beth-shemesh: Against what was to be expected, the cows do the impossible; they turn neither to the right or to the left, but they took the most direct route to Beth-shemesh. The cows should have resisted the yoke and should have headed back to their Philistine homes to be with their young. This is such a miracle! Two cows, which have never pulled a cart before, with no driver leading them, leave their home and their young ones and carry the ark and the offerings ten miles to a city they had never been to. They do not stop or make a wrong turn. With God directly their path, they head directly to the Israelites.
It is very probably that during this time, the Israelites were crying out to God. Mourning the loss of the Ark, the Israelites were grieving because they thought God's glory had departed. the Israelites and the Philistines both resisted God. So, God uses two cows to show forth His glory. To the Philistines, this action would have instilled awe and fear in them toward the God of Israel. To the Israelites, this would have caused a tremendous celebration because now God's glory had returned to their homeland.
Lowing as they went: This means the cows were not happy about their situation. they were longing for their calves at home; yet, God's will overpowered their own desires. The Hebrew word used here is "ga-ah" which translates as an intense aversion and often is expressed as adverse action. In Legends of the Jews, author Ginzberg quotes the rabbis, saying the cows sang a song as they went:
Now therefore, take and prepare a new cart and two milch cows on which there has never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves home, away from them. Take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you return to Him as a guilt offering in a box by its side. Then send it away that it may go. Watch if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done this great evil. But if not, then we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.
Make a new cart: Out of reverence for the Ark, the Philistines used nothing that had ever served for another purpose. The Israelites do likewise in 2 Samuel 6:3, "They placed the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzziah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart." Similarly, Jesus rode on an ass "whereon never man sat" (Mark 11:2), and His body was lain in Joseph's "new tomb, wherein never man before was laid" (Matthew 27:60 and Luke 25:53).
Two milch cows on which there has never been a yoke: Unyoked cows would be akin to having wild, untamed cows. These two cows would be apt to run back or to wander. They would not have kept to a certain path and would have been very unlikely to keep to the road leading to Israel. Furthermore, taking the calves from the cows would cause them to want to turn back and protect their young. However, if none of these things happened, the Philistines could be almost 100% certain that all these acts were from God. Additionally, an unyoked animal was considered reverent. These cows would have been in the state in which God created them, untainted by man's desires. ("This is the statue of the law which the LORD has commanded, 'Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which there is no defect and which a yoke has never been placed'" Numbers 19:2.) ("It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which had not been worked and which has not pulled a yoke; and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley (Deuteronomy 21:3-4.)
Articles of gold...in a box by its side: Out of reverence to the Ark, the Philistines do not open the Ark to place their offerings. Instead, they place them in a chest on the Ark. This was a smart move for the penalty for looking into the Ark was death. The Israelites, knowing God's laws, choose not to obey them and reaped the consequences. "He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck with a great slaughter" (1 Samuel 6:8).
Beth-shemesh: Meaning "house of sun", it was a priestly city (Joshua 21:16) located on the border of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:10). It was about 12 miles southeast of the Philistine city of Ekron.
By chance: Many people think things happen by chance. Some otherwise intelligent people often fall into this delusion. Assigning such power to "chance" is nonsense because chance has no power. For example. when a coin is flipped, the chance that it will land heads is 50%. However, "chance" does not make it land heads. Whether or not it lands heads or tails is due to the strength with which the coin is flipped, the amount of air current and air pressure, as it flies through the air, etc. "Chance" does not "do" anything other than describe a probability. Therefore, when someone says that the universe or anything else came about by chance, they are ignorant, superstitious or just repeating things they have hear without thinking about what they are saying. Chance makes nothing happen--it is merely a way to describe statistical probabilities. We live in a cause and effect world. Chance is not a cause, but God is!
Recognizing that nothing happens by chance should make us realize that every event is full of important meaning from God. Sometimes, we think things happen which have no significant eternal purpose, and sometimes Christians can be lead far astray when they try to attach a message to everything which happens to them. Nothing happens by chance, but directs the universe.
3. (1 Sam 6:10-12) Against all expectations, the cows go to Israel.
Then the men did so, and took two milch cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. They put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the bow with the golden mice and the likenesses of the tumors. And the cows took the straight way in the direction of Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right or left. And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
The cows took the straight way in the direction of Beth-shemesh: Against what was to be expected, the cows do the impossible; they turn neither to the right or to the left, but they took the most direct route to Beth-shemesh. The cows should have resisted the yoke and should have headed back to their Philistine homes to be with their young. This is such a miracle! Two cows, which have never pulled a cart before, with no driver leading them, leave their home and their young ones and carry the ark and the offerings ten miles to a city they had never been to. They do not stop or make a wrong turn. With God directly their path, they head directly to the Israelites.
It is very probably that during this time, the Israelites were crying out to God. Mourning the loss of the Ark, the Israelites were grieving because they thought God's glory had departed. the Israelites and the Philistines both resisted God. So, God uses two cows to show forth His glory. To the Philistines, this action would have instilled awe and fear in them toward the God of Israel. To the Israelites, this would have caused a tremendous celebration because now God's glory had returned to their homeland.
Lowing as they went: This means the cows were not happy about their situation. they were longing for their calves at home; yet, God's will overpowered their own desires. The Hebrew word used here is "ga-ah" which translates as an intense aversion and often is expressed as adverse action. In Legends of the Jews, author Ginzberg quotes the rabbis, saying the cows sang a song as they went:
Arise, thou, O Acacia! Soar aloft in the glory of splendor,
Thou who are adorned with gold embroidery.
Thou who are reverenced with the Holiest of the palace,
Thou who are covered by the two Cherubim!
The actions of the cows shows us the amazing power of God. He leaves nothing to chance; even the cows fulfill His plan!
But if everything is fulfilling God's plan, then why is my life so tough? Why do I have such struggles? When we think like this, it shows we do not understand God's desire for our life. It shows we are short-sighted and are not trusting God to works things out for the best in the long-run. It also shows that we are looking to ourselves and act as if God owes us an explanation for everything which happens in our lives. We have to accept there are some things we cannot figure out, and we have to leave it up to God to direct our ways. When people do not believe there is a loving God who sits on the throne in heaven and has a plan for our lives, they become afraid and filled with misery. But those who believe in God, there is no excuse for fear or misery. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
B. The Ark at Beth-shemesh
(1 Sam 6:13-15) The Ark is received with joy and honor at Beth-shemesh
Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark and were glad to see it. The cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stood there where there was a large stone; and they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. The Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the LORD.
The people of Bethshemesh: Beth-shemesh was a priestly city. It would thus seem fitting that the Ark of the Covenant would rest here. Shiloh, where the former tabernacle resided, was now in ruins and abandoned.
Reaping their wheat harvest: The wheat harvest in Israel is between May and June. Although we are not told the exact day in which the Ark returned back to Israel, it may have been on the festival of Shavuot (aka, festival of Weeks), which celebrates the wheat harvest and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
They raised their eyes and saw the ark and were glad to see it: What joy it must have been for the Israelites to see the Ark return back to their territory. They probably would have felt something like the disciples felt on the day they saw the resurrected Jesus. They would have felt as though they had received God back from the dead. Of course, God had never been dead, and God had never left them. Nevertheless, they probably felt abandoned and discouraged with the loss of the Ark. The appearance of the lost Ark in their field probably would have felt as if the LORD had risen from the dead.
The cart came into the field of Joshua: Of all the fields in Beth-shemesh, it is no coincidence that the Ark stopped in a particular man's field. Joshua (pronounced Yehoshu'a in Hebrew) means in Hebrew, "Yahweh is salvation". The name Jesus comes from a Greek translation of the Aramaic short form of Yeshua, which was the real name of Jesus. (Yeshua means "salvation".) I do not think it was just chance that the cows delivered the Ark of the Covenant to the field of a man whose name means "Yahweh is salvation". I believe it is God's subtle way to remind Israel and all future generations that salvation does not come from a gold covered chest or from an idol but from God.
Where there was a large stone: Conveniently located was a large stone perfect to be used as an altar to offer up sacrifices to God.
They split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD: After being devastated by the Philistines in a stunning defeat in the battle at Aphek, offering the cows and the cart as an offering to God was an expensive sacrifice. These items would have been precious commodities; yet, for their joy of having the Ark returned to them, the Israelites joyously offered these expensive items to the LORD in great celebration. In adhering to the Mosaic law, their offering violated the Torah. First, they offered female animals to the LORD, which is forbidden. ("If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD" Leviticus 1:3.) Since God had chosen these animals to be in servitude to Him in a sacred and glorious work, it might have seemed improper to keep the cows and use them for any type of work. Moreover, they were presenting the offering to the LORD not at the tabernacle. Since Shiloh had been destroyed, and the Ark of the Covenant was present, Joshua's field might have been considered an acceptable place to offer the burnt offering to the LORD. Nevertheless, God knew their hearts and minds. I believe this offering would have pleased God since it was done out of joy and reverence for Him.
The Levites took down the ark of the LORD: As commanded by the Torah, the Israelites were careful to let the Levites handle the Ark. ("At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi, to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve to Him, and to bless in His name until this day" Deuteronomy 10:8.)
The men of Beth-shemesh: In addition to offering the cows, the citizens of the town brought offerings of their own. These burnt offerings would have been completely burned up on the altar and would have been a tribute to God. The other sacrifices offered were most likely offerings of thanksgiving, giving praise to God for restoring the Ark of the Covenant back to the Israelites.
Reaping their wheat harvest: The wheat harvest in Israel is between May and June. Although we are not told the exact day in which the Ark returned back to Israel, it may have been on the festival of Shavuot (aka, festival of Weeks), which celebrates the wheat harvest and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
They raised their eyes and saw the ark and were glad to see it: What joy it must have been for the Israelites to see the Ark return back to their territory. They probably would have felt something like the disciples felt on the day they saw the resurrected Jesus. They would have felt as though they had received God back from the dead. Of course, God had never been dead, and God had never left them. Nevertheless, they probably felt abandoned and discouraged with the loss of the Ark. The appearance of the lost Ark in their field probably would have felt as if the LORD had risen from the dead.
The cart came into the field of Joshua: Of all the fields in Beth-shemesh, it is no coincidence that the Ark stopped in a particular man's field. Joshua (pronounced Yehoshu'a in Hebrew) means in Hebrew, "Yahweh is salvation". The name Jesus comes from a Greek translation of the Aramaic short form of Yeshua, which was the real name of Jesus. (Yeshua means "salvation".) I do not think it was just chance that the cows delivered the Ark of the Covenant to the field of a man whose name means "Yahweh is salvation". I believe it is God's subtle way to remind Israel and all future generations that salvation does not come from a gold covered chest or from an idol but from God.
Where there was a large stone: Conveniently located was a large stone perfect to be used as an altar to offer up sacrifices to God.
They split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD: After being devastated by the Philistines in a stunning defeat in the battle at Aphek, offering the cows and the cart as an offering to God was an expensive sacrifice. These items would have been precious commodities; yet, for their joy of having the Ark returned to them, the Israelites joyously offered these expensive items to the LORD in great celebration. In adhering to the Mosaic law, their offering violated the Torah. First, they offered female animals to the LORD, which is forbidden. ("If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD" Leviticus 1:3.) Since God had chosen these animals to be in servitude to Him in a sacred and glorious work, it might have seemed improper to keep the cows and use them for any type of work. Moreover, they were presenting the offering to the LORD not at the tabernacle. Since Shiloh had been destroyed, and the Ark of the Covenant was present, Joshua's field might have been considered an acceptable place to offer the burnt offering to the LORD. Nevertheless, God knew their hearts and minds. I believe this offering would have pleased God since it was done out of joy and reverence for Him.
The Levites took down the ark of the LORD: As commanded by the Torah, the Israelites were careful to let the Levites handle the Ark. ("At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi, to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve to Him, and to bless in His name until this day" Deuteronomy 10:8.)
The men of Beth-shemesh: In addition to offering the cows, the citizens of the town brought offerings of their own. These burnt offerings would have been completely burned up on the altar and would have been a tribute to God. The other sacrifices offered were most likely offerings of thanksgiving, giving praise to God for restoring the Ark of the Covenant back to the Israelites.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
1 Samuel Chapter 6 Part One (Verses 1-6)
The Ark of the Covenant Returned to Israel
A. How will the Philistines get rid of the Ark of the Covenant?
1. (1 Sam 6:1-6) The Philistine priests suggest a way to relieve themselves of the burden of the Ark of the Covenant.
Now the ark of the LORD had been in the country of the Philistines seven months. And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we shall send it to its place." They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but you shall surely return to Him a guilt offering. They you will be healed and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you." Then they said, "What shall be the guilt offering which we shall return to Him?" And they said, "Five golden tumors and five golden mice according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on all of you and on your lords. So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will ease His hand from you, your gods and your land. Why then do you harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had severely dealt with them, did they not allow the people to go, and they departed?
The ark of the LORD had been in the country of the Philistines seven months: The Ark was kept a very long time in the land of the Philistines. Most likely, the Philistines were very reluctant to give up such a trophy of victory and were willing to try many things in order to keep it in their land. The Septuagint version of this verse adds, "And their land swarmed with mice." This probably was added as an explanation to the mice mentioned in 1 Samuel 6:4.
Diviners: There are three modes of divination described in the Bible--by arrows, by teraphim (aka, household idols) and by the liver of beasts. ("For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver" Ezekiel 21:21.)
What shall we do with the ark of the LORD: When the Philistines first captured the Ark of God, they thought it was a great victory. They put it in the temple of their god, Dagon, with the message their god was greater than the LORD. However, God used this opportunity to glorify Himself by striking down Dagon twice and ultimately cutting Dagon into pieces. God continued His glory by striking the Philistines with plagues. When the Philistines moved the Ark, the plagues moved with it. Suddenly, this glorious victory trophy became a worrisome burden.
The Philistines fell victim to viewing the Ark of the Covenant as capturing God. Like the Israelites, who thought carrying the Ark into battle would assure them victory, the Philistines assumed displaying the Ark of God in their cities would guarantee them possession of the God of Israel. However, no one possessed God. Instead, God had them; He was in control. And now He was showing His power while the Philistines had to fight for their lives.
Do not send it empty: It is interesting to note that it was common practice to make offerings to pagan gods. The Philistines in an attempt to appease the God of Israel felt it is necessary to offer gifts and offerings to find favor in His eyes.
Guilt offering: The offering that was to be made when the offense had been unintentional. ("If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD'S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering" Leviticus 5:15.)
It will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you: This is a euphemism for "why your punishment continues to be so severe, without sign of abatement." If the removal of the plague followed after restoring the Ark back to Israel with the appropriate offerings, then they would know for certain that the continual cause of their misfortunes--plagues, mice and mutilation of Dagon. It seems as though they were not yet convinced that all their recent calamities were more than chance.
Five golden tumors and five golden mice: It was a general custom in ancient times to offer to the deity, to whom sickness or recovery from sickness was ascribed, likenesses of the diseased parts. Slaves and gladiators would offer their arms to Hercules. Captives would dedicate their chains to a deity. This practice has continued even to modern times. In the fifth century, Christians would often offer in their churches gold or silver hands, feet or eyes as thank-offerings for cures delivered through prayer. Similar thank offering are still made in many Roman Catholic nations.
These golden tumor and mice were being offered not in contempt of God, but rather to seek His favor. It was a testimony of their humiliation. Leaving these items as a memorial to their shame and misery, they hoped to obtain pity from God.
Likenesses of your mice that ravaged the land: This is the first mention in the Hebrew text about a plague of mice. (The Greek Septuagint mentions the mice in additional text in 1 Samuel 5:6 and 1 Samuel 6:1, which is not found in the Hebrew text.) In the warm countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, it was common from time to time to have large outbreaks of mice, which devoured the crops. The mice would live long enough to destroy the crops, and they would die off and disappear. There can be a similar parallel drawn here with Egypt's plague of frogs. Frogs were common in the Nile River and from time to time, an outbreak of frogs would occur. The frogs would quickly decimate the land and then die off. Perhaps the Philistines recognized their plague of mice being similar to Egypt's frog plague and thus make reference to Pharaoh and Egypt in verse 6.
Give glory to the God of Israel: After repeatedly denying God and His Almighty power, the Philistines are forced to submit to Him. They finally must admit the God of Israel is more powerful than their pagan idols.
Your gods: The Hebrew is unclear. The phrase could mean that there were other gods (in addition to Dagon) which were affected and thrown down before the Ark of the Covenant. However, it is also common to use a plural number in place of using the singular. In that case, only Dagon may have been affected.
Why then do you harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts: Again, the Philistines seem to be very familiar with Israel's Exodus story (The Philistines' first reference to Egypt is in 1 Samuel 4:8.). The Philistines are very wise in knowing you do not harden your heart against the LORD. Throughout Exodus, we are told that Pharaoh hardens his heart. ("But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said" Exodus 8:15.) Furthermore, we are told that God also harden Pharaoh's heart ("I will harden Pharaoh's heart" Exodus 7:3.). Both Pharaoh and God harden Pharaoh's heart, which lead to disastrous consequences for Pharaoh and his nation. The Philistines, after having a small taste of God's power through the plague, know not to anger God.
Hardness of heart is a bad place to be for any Christian. The pagan Philistines had the sense to ask "Why then do you harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?" Do Christians today ask themselves this same question? We have hard hearts which need to be softened and broken up; we need to turn away from our sin and seek the LORD. "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12). The Philistines were able to cure their hard hearts by acknowledging their sin, recognizing God's righteousness and giving offerings to make it right before God.
What shall we do with the ark of the LORD: When the Philistines first captured the Ark of God, they thought it was a great victory. They put it in the temple of their god, Dagon, with the message their god was greater than the LORD. However, God used this opportunity to glorify Himself by striking down Dagon twice and ultimately cutting Dagon into pieces. God continued His glory by striking the Philistines with plagues. When the Philistines moved the Ark, the plagues moved with it. Suddenly, this glorious victory trophy became a worrisome burden.
The Philistines fell victim to viewing the Ark of the Covenant as capturing God. Like the Israelites, who thought carrying the Ark into battle would assure them victory, the Philistines assumed displaying the Ark of God in their cities would guarantee them possession of the God of Israel. However, no one possessed God. Instead, God had them; He was in control. And now He was showing His power while the Philistines had to fight for their lives.
Do not send it empty: It is interesting to note that it was common practice to make offerings to pagan gods. The Philistines in an attempt to appease the God of Israel felt it is necessary to offer gifts and offerings to find favor in His eyes.
Guilt offering: The offering that was to be made when the offense had been unintentional. ("If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD'S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering" Leviticus 5:15.)
It will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you: This is a euphemism for "why your punishment continues to be so severe, without sign of abatement." If the removal of the plague followed after restoring the Ark back to Israel with the appropriate offerings, then they would know for certain that the continual cause of their misfortunes--plagues, mice and mutilation of Dagon. It seems as though they were not yet convinced that all their recent calamities were more than chance.
Five golden tumors and five golden mice: It was a general custom in ancient times to offer to the deity, to whom sickness or recovery from sickness was ascribed, likenesses of the diseased parts. Slaves and gladiators would offer their arms to Hercules. Captives would dedicate their chains to a deity. This practice has continued even to modern times. In the fifth century, Christians would often offer in their churches gold or silver hands, feet or eyes as thank-offerings for cures delivered through prayer. Similar thank offering are still made in many Roman Catholic nations.
These golden tumor and mice were being offered not in contempt of God, but rather to seek His favor. It was a testimony of their humiliation. Leaving these items as a memorial to their shame and misery, they hoped to obtain pity from God.
Likenesses of your mice that ravaged the land: This is the first mention in the Hebrew text about a plague of mice. (The Greek Septuagint mentions the mice in additional text in 1 Samuel 5:6 and 1 Samuel 6:1, which is not found in the Hebrew text.) In the warm countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, it was common from time to time to have large outbreaks of mice, which devoured the crops. The mice would live long enough to destroy the crops, and they would die off and disappear. There can be a similar parallel drawn here with Egypt's plague of frogs. Frogs were common in the Nile River and from time to time, an outbreak of frogs would occur. The frogs would quickly decimate the land and then die off. Perhaps the Philistines recognized their plague of mice being similar to Egypt's frog plague and thus make reference to Pharaoh and Egypt in verse 6.
Give glory to the God of Israel: After repeatedly denying God and His Almighty power, the Philistines are forced to submit to Him. They finally must admit the God of Israel is more powerful than their pagan idols.
Your gods: The Hebrew is unclear. The phrase could mean that there were other gods (in addition to Dagon) which were affected and thrown down before the Ark of the Covenant. However, it is also common to use a plural number in place of using the singular. In that case, only Dagon may have been affected.
Why then do you harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts: Again, the Philistines seem to be very familiar with Israel's Exodus story (The Philistines' first reference to Egypt is in 1 Samuel 4:8.). The Philistines are very wise in knowing you do not harden your heart against the LORD. Throughout Exodus, we are told that Pharaoh hardens his heart. ("But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said" Exodus 8:15.) Furthermore, we are told that God also harden Pharaoh's heart ("I will harden Pharaoh's heart" Exodus 7:3.). Both Pharaoh and God harden Pharaoh's heart, which lead to disastrous consequences for Pharaoh and his nation. The Philistines, after having a small taste of God's power through the plague, know not to anger God.
Hardness of heart is a bad place to be for any Christian. The pagan Philistines had the sense to ask "Why then do you harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?" Do Christians today ask themselves this same question? We have hard hearts which need to be softened and broken up; we need to turn away from our sin and seek the LORD. "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12). The Philistines were able to cure their hard hearts by acknowledging their sin, recognizing God's righteousness and giving offerings to make it right before God.
Sunday, May 7, 2017
1 Samuel Chapter 5 Part Two (Verses 6-12)
2. (1 Sam 5:6-8) The LORD afflicts the city of Ashdod with tumors
Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them and smote them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories. When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, "The ark of God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god." So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" And they said, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around.
The hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites: The Philistines would not listen to God when He cast down their idol. Instead, they simply set it up again. When we close our ears to God, He often finds another way to get our attention...and often the second way we may not like.
Tumors: And now a great debate. Commentators have long been arguing what exactly were these "tumors". The Hebrew word is "apholim" which is derived from the Hebrew root "aphal" which means to elevate or swell. Some believe the Philistines were afflicted with hemorrhoids; others believe it was bubonic plague; and yet others believe it was a disease called bleeding piles which would have been accompanied with dysentery. bloody flux and ulcerated anus. Whatever we want to call what God afflicted the Philistines with, it was a painful, tormenting illness which affected their bottoms. The plague not only plagued the citizens of Ashdod, it also affected the surrounding territories. This emphasizes when the people do not honor God, their sin affects all those around them.
Fun fact: when this passage is read in synagogue, the word "apholim" is never read. Instead, the reader is instructed to say the word "tehorim". The word "tehorim" is mentioned in Deuteronomy 28:27 as one of the loathsome skin diseases of Egypt. Whatever the true meaning of "apholim" is, the rabbis have deemed that the word was unfit for public reading in the synagogue.
Side note: The Septuagint adds the following words to verse six: "And mice sprang up in the midst of their land, and there was a deadly destruction in the city." Some scholars believe this was originally in the Hebrew text, and explains why golden images of rats were included in the return of the Ark (1 Samuel 6:5). In Legends of the Jews, the author Ginzberg is quite graphic in the description of this event: "This new plague consisted in mice crawling forth out of the earth, and jerking the entrails out of the bodies of the Philistines while they eased nature. If the Philistines sought to protect themselves by using brass vessels, the vessels burst at the touch of the mice, and, as before, the Philistines were at their mercy."
The ark of God must not remain with us: Although the Philistines were able to defeat Israel, they were not able to defeat the God of Israel. It is interesting to see their admission that their god Dagon could not protect them from the God of Israel; yet, they still refused to submit to God. They then thought of a brilliant plan to get rid of God. Although we can push God away, we can never get rid of Him. One day, we must all face God and stand before Him.
All the lords of the Philistines: The unique word "seren" is used here to denote the five "lords" who ruled the five cities of the Philistine confederacy. It probably preserves their native title. They all had equal rights. Although Achish is called "king of Gath" in 1 Samuel 21:10 and 1 Samuel 27:2, this is purely from a foreign point of view. Achish could not overrule the decision of his fellow lords. ("Then Achish called David and said to him, 'As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.' David said to Achish, 'But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?' But Achish replied to David, 'I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, '"He must not for up with us to the battle." Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart.' So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel" 1 Samuel 29:6-10.)
Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath: The Philistines seemed to have been possessed with a superstitious idea that there was something offensive to God in Ashdod. They seemed to think if they removed the Ark from Ashdod and delivered it to another Philistine city, they assumed God would not bring the plague to the people in the next city. Or perhaps they thought the plague came upon them by chance or in regards to putting the Ark into Dagon's temple. There is no Dagon temple in Gath. The Philistines seem blind to God's power and continue to refuse to submit to Him.
Gath: It was located about 12 miles east of Ashdod at the foot of the mountains of Judah. It was an important border fortress, sitting on a hill guarding the entrance of the valley of Elah. Gath was the hometown of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) and a place of refuge for David from the persecutions of King Saul (1 Samuel 21:10, 1 Samuel 27:3).
B. The Ark of God in Gath and Ekron
1. (1 Sam 5:9) The Ark of God in the Philistine city of Gath
After they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.
Men of the city: It is interesting to note that only the men of the city seemed to have been affected by the tumors in Gath. In ancient times, having the men afflicted was a significant threat to the security and well-being of the community. The men worked to support their families; they provided the troops to fight in the army; they provided the leadership to lead the city. Without men, the city would quickly come to ruin. Widows and children would starve, and the city would be susceptible to enemy attack.
Tumors broke out on them: This is the New American Standard Version translation. The King James better translates the verse: "And they had tumors on their secret parts." The Hebrew word translated "secret parts" is "sathar". The word has a double meaning. It can mean to destroy and to be buried deep within. The tumors most likely buried themselves deep within their victims (something akin to a cancer) and being incurable, ended in the death of the sufferers.
2. (1 Sam 5:10-12) The Ark of the Covenant in the Philistine city of Ekron
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people." They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistine and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Ekron: The most northerly of the five confederate cities, it is about 11 miles north of the city of Gath. The local deity was Baal-zebub (2 Kings 1:2).
The Ekronites cried out: The Ark of the Covenant has now become a hot potato, being tossed from city to city. The Philistines now suddenly realize that the second plague which struck the city of Gath was from the Ark of the Covenant. Yet, despite all the evidence of God's incredible power, the Philistines still refuse to submit to God.
Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place: It took the Philistines a long time and much suffering before they could decide to get rid of this deadly trophy of victory. They had heard stories passed from generation to generation about the awe and majesty of this golden chest, which in the times of Joshua, lead Israel to a triumphal defeat over the city of Jericho. Now, at last, this magical ark was theirs! Oh what victories and blessings it would bestow upon them! However, the Philistines failed to realize, it was not the golden chest which provided Israel their victories and blessings; it was a trust in the God of the Ark. If the Philistines would have repented and turned towards God, they too could have benefited from God's mercy. Instead, the Ark of God became a curse and a judgment to them.
The same is true of the presence of God among us today--He can be a source of great blessings or of great agony and death. "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). The work of the Messiah, Jesus, on your behalf will either be the greatest blessing you have ever known for all eternity, or it will be the greatest witness of God's judgment against you. If you decide to submit and surrender your life to God, it will be a blessing. If you refuse Him, it will be a curse. What will you decide? Blessing or cursing?
Deadly confusion: It is hard to accurately translate this phrase from Hebrew into English. The Hebrew phrasing implies the mental agony and despair of the people as they saw the Ark of God enter their city. Elsewhere in the Bible, this phrase is translated "terrors of death". ("Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked; for they bring down trouble upon me and in anger they bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me" Psalm 55:3-5. In modern English, it might be best translated "scared to death".
The cry went up to heaven: A Hebrew idiom meaning things are exceeding great, beyond expression. "Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God" (Exodus 2:23). "Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD hear our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression" (Deuteronomy 26:7).
Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them and smote them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories. When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, "The ark of God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god." So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" And they said, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around.
The hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites: The Philistines would not listen to God when He cast down their idol. Instead, they simply set it up again. When we close our ears to God, He often finds another way to get our attention...and often the second way we may not like.
Tumors: And now a great debate. Commentators have long been arguing what exactly were these "tumors". The Hebrew word is "apholim" which is derived from the Hebrew root "aphal" which means to elevate or swell. Some believe the Philistines were afflicted with hemorrhoids; others believe it was bubonic plague; and yet others believe it was a disease called bleeding piles which would have been accompanied with dysentery. bloody flux and ulcerated anus. Whatever we want to call what God afflicted the Philistines with, it was a painful, tormenting illness which affected their bottoms. The plague not only plagued the citizens of Ashdod, it also affected the surrounding territories. This emphasizes when the people do not honor God, their sin affects all those around them.
Fun fact: when this passage is read in synagogue, the word "apholim" is never read. Instead, the reader is instructed to say the word "tehorim". The word "tehorim" is mentioned in Deuteronomy 28:27 as one of the loathsome skin diseases of Egypt. Whatever the true meaning of "apholim" is, the rabbis have deemed that the word was unfit for public reading in the synagogue.
Side note: The Septuagint adds the following words to verse six: "And mice sprang up in the midst of their land, and there was a deadly destruction in the city." Some scholars believe this was originally in the Hebrew text, and explains why golden images of rats were included in the return of the Ark (1 Samuel 6:5). In Legends of the Jews, the author Ginzberg is quite graphic in the description of this event: "This new plague consisted in mice crawling forth out of the earth, and jerking the entrails out of the bodies of the Philistines while they eased nature. If the Philistines sought to protect themselves by using brass vessels, the vessels burst at the touch of the mice, and, as before, the Philistines were at their mercy."
The ark of God must not remain with us: Although the Philistines were able to defeat Israel, they were not able to defeat the God of Israel. It is interesting to see their admission that their god Dagon could not protect them from the God of Israel; yet, they still refused to submit to God. They then thought of a brilliant plan to get rid of God. Although we can push God away, we can never get rid of Him. One day, we must all face God and stand before Him.
All the lords of the Philistines: The unique word "seren" is used here to denote the five "lords" who ruled the five cities of the Philistine confederacy. It probably preserves their native title. They all had equal rights. Although Achish is called "king of Gath" in 1 Samuel 21:10 and 1 Samuel 27:2, this is purely from a foreign point of view. Achish could not overrule the decision of his fellow lords. ("Then Achish called David and said to him, 'As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.' David said to Achish, 'But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?' But Achish replied to David, 'I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, '"He must not for up with us to the battle." Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart.' So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel" 1 Samuel 29:6-10.)
Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath: The Philistines seemed to have been possessed with a superstitious idea that there was something offensive to God in Ashdod. They seemed to think if they removed the Ark from Ashdod and delivered it to another Philistine city, they assumed God would not bring the plague to the people in the next city. Or perhaps they thought the plague came upon them by chance or in regards to putting the Ark into Dagon's temple. There is no Dagon temple in Gath. The Philistines seem blind to God's power and continue to refuse to submit to Him.
Gath: It was located about 12 miles east of Ashdod at the foot of the mountains of Judah. It was an important border fortress, sitting on a hill guarding the entrance of the valley of Elah. Gath was the hometown of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) and a place of refuge for David from the persecutions of King Saul (1 Samuel 21:10, 1 Samuel 27:3).
B. The Ark of God in Gath and Ekron
1. (1 Sam 5:9) The Ark of God in the Philistine city of Gath
After they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.
Men of the city: It is interesting to note that only the men of the city seemed to have been affected by the tumors in Gath. In ancient times, having the men afflicted was a significant threat to the security and well-being of the community. The men worked to support their families; they provided the troops to fight in the army; they provided the leadership to lead the city. Without men, the city would quickly come to ruin. Widows and children would starve, and the city would be susceptible to enemy attack.
Tumors broke out on them: This is the New American Standard Version translation. The King James better translates the verse: "And they had tumors on their secret parts." The Hebrew word translated "secret parts" is "sathar". The word has a double meaning. It can mean to destroy and to be buried deep within. The tumors most likely buried themselves deep within their victims (something akin to a cancer) and being incurable, ended in the death of the sufferers.
2. (1 Sam 5:10-12) The Ark of the Covenant in the Philistine city of Ekron
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people." They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistine and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Ekron: The most northerly of the five confederate cities, it is about 11 miles north of the city of Gath. The local deity was Baal-zebub (2 Kings 1:2).
The Ekronites cried out: The Ark of the Covenant has now become a hot potato, being tossed from city to city. The Philistines now suddenly realize that the second plague which struck the city of Gath was from the Ark of the Covenant. Yet, despite all the evidence of God's incredible power, the Philistines still refuse to submit to God.
Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place: It took the Philistines a long time and much suffering before they could decide to get rid of this deadly trophy of victory. They had heard stories passed from generation to generation about the awe and majesty of this golden chest, which in the times of Joshua, lead Israel to a triumphal defeat over the city of Jericho. Now, at last, this magical ark was theirs! Oh what victories and blessings it would bestow upon them! However, the Philistines failed to realize, it was not the golden chest which provided Israel their victories and blessings; it was a trust in the God of the Ark. If the Philistines would have repented and turned towards God, they too could have benefited from God's mercy. Instead, the Ark of God became a curse and a judgment to them.
The same is true of the presence of God among us today--He can be a source of great blessings or of great agony and death. "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). The work of the Messiah, Jesus, on your behalf will either be the greatest blessing you have ever known for all eternity, or it will be the greatest witness of God's judgment against you. If you decide to submit and surrender your life to God, it will be a blessing. If you refuse Him, it will be a curse. What will you decide? Blessing or cursing?
Deadly confusion: It is hard to accurately translate this phrase from Hebrew into English. The Hebrew phrasing implies the mental agony and despair of the people as they saw the Ark of God enter their city. Elsewhere in the Bible, this phrase is translated "terrors of death". ("Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked; for they bring down trouble upon me and in anger they bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me" Psalm 55:3-5. In modern English, it might be best translated "scared to death".
The cry went up to heaven: A Hebrew idiom meaning things are exceeding great, beyond expression. "Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God" (Exodus 2:23). "Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD hear our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression" (Deuteronomy 26:7).
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