God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 6:20
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?”
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
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. 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. The 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 6:20 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 5:8The people of Ashdod called together all the Philistine rulers. “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” they asked. “The ark of the God of Israel must be taken to Gath,” the rulers said. So the people took the ark of the God of Israel there.
- Numbers 17:12The Israelites said to Moses, “Now we’re going to die! We’re lost! We’re all lost!
- 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 13:11David was angry because the Lord had struck Uzzah so violently. (That place is still called Perez Uzzah [The Striking of Uzzah] today.)
- Psalms 76:7You alone must be feared! Who can stand in your presence when you become angry?
- Malachi 3:2But who will be able to endure the day he comes? Who will be able to survive on the day he appears? He is like a purifying fire and like a cleansing soap.
- Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw this, he knelt in front of Jesus and said, “Leave me, Lord! I’m a sinful person!”
- Luke 8:37Then all the people from the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave because they were terrified. Jesus got into a boat and started back.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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