1 Samuel 6:20

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 gold mice corresponded in number to all the Philistine cities of the five leaders, from the fortified cities to hamlet villages, to greater Abel, where they positioned the ark of the Lord until this very day in the field of Joshua who was from Beth Shemesh. 19But the Lord struck down some of the people of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord; he struck down 50,070 of the men. The people grieved because the Lord had struck the people with a hard blow. The residents of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?” 21So they sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down here and take it back home with you.”

1 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 assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and asked, “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “The ark of the God of Israel should be moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
• Numbers 17:12The Israelites said to Moses, “We are bound to die! We perish, we all perish!
• 2 Samuel 6:7The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him on the spot for his negligence. He died right there beside the ark of God.
• 1 Chronicles 13:11David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah, which remains its name to this very day.
• Psalms 76:7You are awesome! Yes, you! Who can withstand your intense anger?
• Malachi 3:2Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.
• Luke 5:8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
• Luke 8:37Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and left.

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

• God Continued...
• Kirjath-Jearim
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• God
• Beth-Shemesh
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Along
• David
• Harden
• Return
• Samuel, Books of
• Abinadab
• Ark of the Covenant

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