Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 6:20
20The people of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord this holy God? To whom should the ark go from here?”
1 Samuel 6:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the men of Beth–shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
- New International Version (NIV)And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 away from us?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?”
Context of 1 Samuel 6:20
18The number of gold mice also corresponded to the number of Philistine cities of the five rulers, the fortified cities and the outlying villages. The large rock on which the ark of the Lord was placed is still in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh today. 19God struck down the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the Lord. He struck down seventy persons. The people mourned because the Lord struck them with a great slaughter. The people of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord this holy God? To whom should the ark go from here?” 21They sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and get it.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 61 Samuel 6:20 word by word
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵֽית־שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ מִ֚י יוּכַ֣ל לַעֲמֹ֔ד לִפְנֵ֨י יְהוָ֧ה הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים הַקָּד֖וֹשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְאֶל־מִ֖י יַעֲלֶ֥ה מֵעָלֵֽינוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of Beth–shemeshבֵּית שֶׁ֫מֶשׁbêyth shemesh · Beth-shemeshH1053
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Who is ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- to standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- this holyקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
- Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and to whom shall he go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 6:20
- 1 Samuel 5:8So they called all the Philistine rulers together and asked, “What should we do with the ark of Israel’s God?” “The ark of Israel’s God should be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they moved the ark of Israel’s God.
- Numbers 17:12Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we’re perishing! We’re lost; we’re all lost!
- 2 Samuel 6:7Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there next to the ark of God.
- 1 Chronicles 13:11David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah, as it is still named today.
- Psalms 76:7And you — you are to be feared. When you are angry, who can stand before you?
- Malachi 3:2But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s bleach.
- Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!”
- Luke 8:37Then all the people of the Gerasene region asked him to leave them, because they were gripped by great fear. So getting into the boat, he returned.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Who 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 endeavored to throw that blame on God, as a Being hard to be pleased, which belonged solely to themselves.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-21Verses 19-21 It is a great affront to God, for vain men to pry into, and meddle with the secret things which belong not to them, De 29:29; Col 2:18. Man was ruined by desiring forbidden knowledge. God will not suffer his ark to be profaned. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Those that will not fear his goodness, and reverently use the tokens of his grace, shall be made to feel his justice. The number smitten is expressed in an unusual manner in the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Who can stand: Even God's people faced his wrath when they disrespected his holiness. The wrath of God is God's strong disapproval of human beings and their sinful actions. To whom should the ark go up from here?: When confronted with God's holiness, the Israelites felt the same distress as the pagan Philistines (1 Samuel 6:2).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 6:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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