God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 6:19
19God struck down some of the people from Beth Shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the Lord. He struck down 70 people. The people mourned because the Lord struck them with such a great blow.
1 Samuel 6:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he smote the men of Beth–shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
- New International Version (NIV)But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
Context of 1 Samuel 6:19
17The gold hemorrhoids which the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the Lord were for the cities of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. 18And the number of gold mice was the same as the number of Philistine cities belonging to the five rulers, including walled cities and farm villages. The large rock on which they put the ark of the Lord is a witness. It is still there today in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. God struck down some of the people from Beth Shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the Lord. He struck down 70 people. The people mourned because the Lord struck them with such a great blow. 20The people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to which people will he go when he leaves us?” 21They sent messengers to the people living at Kiriath Jearim to say, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord. Come and take it back with you.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 61 Samuel 6:19 word by word
וַיַּ֞ךְ בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵֽית־שֶׁ֗מֶשׁ כִּ֤י רָאוּ֙ בַּאֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּ֤ךְ בָּעָם֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִ֑ישׁ וַיִּֽתְאַבְּל֣וּ הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־הִכָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה בָּעָ֖ם מַכָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽהRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Beth–shemeshבֵּית שֶׁ֫מֶשׁbêyth shemesh · Beth-shemeshH1053
- because they had lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- into the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
- thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- and threescore and tenשִׁבְעִיםshib‛îym · seventyH7657
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- lamentedאָבַל'âbal · to mournH56
- with a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- slaughterמַכָּהmakkâh makkeh · woundH4347
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 6:19
- Exodus 19:21The Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to force their way through ⌞the boundary⌟ to see the Lord, or many of them will die.
- Leviticus 10:1Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took an incense burner and put burning coals and incense in it. Then in the Lord’s presence they offered this unauthorized fire.
- Numbers 4:4“This is the work the Kohathites will do in the tent of meeting: They will take care of the most holy things.
- Deuteronomy 29:29Some things are hidden. They belong to the Lord our God. But the things that have been revealed in these teachings belong to us and to our children forever. We must obey every word of these teachings.
- 2 Samuel 6:7The Lord became angry with Uzzah, so God killed him there for his lack of respect. He died beside the ark of God.
- 1 Chronicles 13:9But when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out to grab the ark.
- Colossians 2:18Let no one who delights in ⌞false⌟ humility and the worship of angels tell you that you don’t deserve a prize. Such a person, whose sinful mind fills him with arrogance, gives endless details of the visions he has seen.
- 1 Peter 4:17The time has come for the judgment to begin, and it will begin with God’s family. If it starts with us, what will be the end for those who refuse to obey the Good News of God?
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19He smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men - The present Hebrew text of this most extraordinary reading stands thus: בית־שמש באנשי ויך - איש אלף חמשים איש שבעים בעם ויך vaiyach beanshey Beith -shemesh - vaiyach baam shibim ish, chamishshim eleph ish ; "And he smote among the men of Beth-shemesh, (because they looked into the ark of Jehovah), and he smote among the people Seventy men, Fifty Thousand men." From the manner in which the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Fifty thousand and three score and ten - Read “three” score and “ten”, omitting “fifty thousand”, which appears to have crept into the text from the margin. It is not improbable that in their festive rejoicing priests, Levites, and people may have fallen into intemperance, and hence, into presumptuous irreverence (compare Leviticus 10:1, Leviticus 10:9). God had just vindicated His own honor against the Philistines; it must now be seen that He would be…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. 19seventy men: Beth-shemesh was a small village. because they looked inside the ark: Touching the ark was not allowed (Numbers 4:15; 2 Samuel 6:6–8), as was looking inside it (Numbers 4:20). The men who died did not respect God's holiness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark--In the ecstasy of delight at seeing the return of the ark, the Beth-shemesh reapers pried into it beneath the wagon cover; and instead of covering it up again, as a sacred utensil, they let it remain exposed to common inspection, wishing it to be seen, in order that all might enjoy the triumph of seeing the votive offerings presented to it, and gratify curiosity with the sight of…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 6:19
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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