Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 5:8
8So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”
“It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.
1 Samuel 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
- New International Version (NIV)So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?” They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.
Context of 1 Samuel 5:8
6Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors. 7And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.” So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel. 9But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors. 10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”
Read all of 1 Samuel 51 Samuel 5:8 word by word
וַיִּשְׁלְח֡וּ וַיַּאַסְפוּ֩ אֶת־כָּל־סַרְנֵ֨י פְלִשְׁתִּ֜ים אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ מַֽה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֗ה לַֽאֲרוֹן֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ גַּ֣ת יִסֹּ֔ב אֲר֖וֹן אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּסֵּ֕בּוּ אֶת־אֲר֖וֹן אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סRead the interlinear
- ·שָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- So they called togetherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- allאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the rulersסֶ֫רֶןseren · lordH5633
- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- and askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- shall we doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- with the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
- of the God ofאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- must be movedסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
- to Gathגַּתgath · GathH1661
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 5:8
- Zechariah 12:3On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured.
- 1 Samuel 17:4Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,
- Amos 6:2Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to the great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 5:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The lords of the Philistines - The word סרני sarney, which we translate lords, is rendered by the Chaldee טורני tureney, tyrants. The Syriac is the same. By the Vulgate and Septuagint, satrapae, satraps. Palestine was divided into five satrapies: Ashdod, Ekron, Askelon, Gath, and Gaza. See Joshua 13:8. But these were all federates and acted under one general government, for which they assembled in council. Let the ark - be carried about - They probably…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The “lords” (see Judges 3:3) were very unwilling to give up their triumph, and, with the common pagan superstition, imagined that some local bad luck was against them at Ashdod. The result was to bring the whole Philistine community under the same calamity.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-12Verses 6-12 The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8rulers (or overlords): Each of the five major Philistine cities had its own ruler (1 Samuel 6:16–18). It must be moved: Even with the clear danger, the Philistines valued their captured trophy so much that they chose to move it instead of returning it. Gath, one of the five major Philistine cities, was close by.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 5:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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