1 Samuel 6:19

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

17And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto Yhwh; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 18And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of Yhwh: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth–shemite. And he smote the men of Beth–shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yhwh, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because Yhwh had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 20And the men of Beth–shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Yhwh God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 21And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath–jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of Yhwh; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.

1 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

• 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 Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · 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 19:21And Yhwh said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Yhwh to gaze, and many of them perish.
• Leviticus 10:1And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered profane fire before Yhwh, which he commanded them not.
• Numbers 4:4This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
• Deuteronomy 29:29The secret things belong unto Yhwh our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
• 2 Samuel 6:7And the anger of Yhwh was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
• 1 Chronicles 13:9And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
• Colossians 2:18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
• 1 Peter 4:17For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel 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

• Curiosity
• Kirjath-Jearim
• Miracles
• Presumption
• Sacrilege

In the dictionaries

• Beth-Shemesh
• Along
• David
• Harden
• Mourn
• Return
• Samuel, Books of
• Ark of the Covenant
• God
• Judges, Period of

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