Tyndale Open Study Notes1 Samuel 6

priests and diviners: Fortune telling was part of the Philistine religion (see 1 Samuel 28:7; Deuteronomy 18:10–14).

The Philistines probably did not know about Israelite worship rules. A Philistine guilt offering was likely a payment to their god. It was to avoid his anger. This differs from the idea of atonement in Leviticus 16.

rats: See study note on 1 Samuel 5:6.

The Philistines believed they could defeat the Lord by fighting harder (1 Samuel 4:9). They had beaten the Israelites, but now understood they could not defeat Israel's God.

take their calves away: If the cows ignored their motherly instincts and left their calves to take the Ark to Israel, it would show that the plague came from Israel's God (1 Samuel 6:9).

Beth-shemesh was the nearest Israelite town to Ekron (a Philistine city) (1 Samuel 5:10).

People usually harvested wheat in May or June (late spring or early summer).

This burnt offering might have been for forgiveness of sin (see 1 Samuel 7:9–10; Leviticus 1:3–17). But, it was more likely a voluntary act of love or gratitude (see Leviticus 22:18–22).

Fortunately, the ark arrived in Beth-shemesh (1 Samuel 6:13), a city of the Levites (Joshua 21:13–16). The Levite men living there could safely move the ark (see Numbers 4:15).

• guilt offering: See study note on 1 Samuel 6:3.

• Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron: These were the five main Philistine cities. They were on or near the Great Trunk Road, an important ancient trade route. This route connected Egypt with Mesopotamia through the coastal plain of Canaan. Each city had a ruler similar to a king (1 Samuel 6:16).

• seventy 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.

• Who 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).

Kiriath-jearim was close, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) northeast of Beth-shemesh.