1 Samuel 6:21

1 Samuel 6:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath–jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, "The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up with you.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)So they sent messengers to the people at Kiriath-jearim and told them, “The Philistines have returned the Ark of the Lord. Come here and get it!”

Context of 1 Samuel 6:21

19But 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. 20And 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?” Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to your town.”

1 Samuel 6:21 word by word

וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י קִרְיַת־יְעָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵשִׁ֤בוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה רְד֕וּ הַעֲל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
• to the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• of Kirjath–jearimקִרְיַת יְעָרִיםqiryath ye‛ârîym qiryath ‛ârîym · Kiriath-jearimH7157
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• have brought againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• come ye downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• fetch it upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 6:21

• Joshua 18:14From the hill facing Beth Horon on the south the boundary turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a town of the people of Judah. This was the western side.
• Judges 18:12On their way they set up camp near Kiriath Jearim in Judah. This is why the place west of Kiriath Jearim is called Mahaneh Dan to this day.
• 1 Chronicles 13:5So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.
• Psalms 78:60He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans.
• Jeremiah 7:12“ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21To the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim - They wished the ark away out of their village, but why they sent to this city instead of sending to Shiloh, does not appear: probably Shiloh had been destroyed by the Philistines, after the late defeat of Israel. This is most likely, as the ark was never more taken back to that place. It was a very ancient usage, when a plague or other calamity infested a country, city, etc. for the magicians to form an image of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Kirjath-jearim - See Joshua 9:17 note. It has been thought that there was a high place at Kirjath-jearim (the hill, 1 Samuel 7:1), the remnant of its old pagan sanctity when it was called Kirjath-Baal, “the city of Baal” (see Joshua 18:14; 2 Samuel 6:2); and that for this reason it was selected as a proper place to send the ark to.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. 21Kiriath-jearim was close, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) northeast of Beth-shemesh.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Kirjath-jearim--"the city of woods," also called Kirjath-baal (Jos 15:60; 18:14; 1Ch 13:6, 7). This was the nearest town to Beth-shemesh; and being a place of strength, it was a more fitting place for the residence of the ark. Beth-shemesh being in a low plain, and Kirjath-jearim on a hill, explains the message, "Come ye down, and fetch it up to you."Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 6:21

• Kirjath-Jearim

In the dictionaries

• Philistines
• Along
• David
• Harden
• Return
• Samuel, Books of
• Abinadab
• Ark of the Covenant
• Fetch
• God

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