King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The ark of ADONAI was in the country of the P'lishtim for seven months.
Berean Standard Bible:
When the ark of the LORD had been in the land of the Philistines seven months,
American Standard Version:
And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the ark{H727} of the LORD{H3068} was in the country{H7704} of the Philistines{H6430} seven{H7651} months{H2320}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Psalms 78:61
- And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.
1 Samuel 5:1
- ¶ And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
1 Samuel 5:10
- Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
1 Samuel 5:11
- So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
1 Samuel 5:3
- And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon [was] fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
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Commentary for 1 Samuel 6:1
1 Samuel 6:1 is set within the historical context of the ongoing conflict between the Israelites and the Philistines, which is a central theme in the books of Samuel. The verse specifically mentions that the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest symbolizing God's presence and power, had been captured by the Philistines and had remained in their territory for seven months. This period followed the Battle of Aphek, where the Israelites were defeated and the Ark was taken as spoil (1 Samuel 4:1-11).
The presence of the Ark among the Philistines is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it represents a shift in divine favor, as the Israelites had lost a symbol of God's covenant with them. Secondly, the Ark's capture leads to a series of calamities in Philistine cities, including an outbreak of tumors and a plague of mice, which the Philistines interpret as divine punishment for taking the Ark (1 Samuel 5). This leads to a theological confrontation, as the Philistines grapple with the power of the God of Israel, unlike any of their own gods.
The verse hints at the impending return of the Ark, setting the stage for the Philistines' efforts to rid themselves of what they have come to see as a curse. They will eventually send the Ark back to Israel with offerings, hoping to appease the God of Israel and end their suffering (1 Samuel 6:2-18). The narrative underscores the theme of God's sovereignty over nations and the recognition that the God of Israel is not confined to the borders of Israel, but is the true God over all the earth. It also serves as a prelude to the reestablishment of the Ark in Israelite worship, which will later play a significant role in the reign of King David.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H727
There are 467 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָרוֹן
Transliteration: ʼârôwn
Pronunciation: aw-rone'
Description: or אָרֹן; from אָרָה (in the sense of gathering); a box; ark, chest, coffin. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H7704
There are 309 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂדֶה
Transliteration: sâdeh
Pronunciation: saw-deh'
Description: or שָׂדַי; from an unused root meaning to spread out; a field (as flat); country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild. - Strong's Number: H6430
There are 244 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פְּלִשְׁתִּי
Transliteration: Pᵉlishtîy
Pronunciation: pel-ish-tee'
Description: patrial from פְּלֶשֶׁת; a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth; Philistine. - Strong's Number: H7651
There are 345 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֶׁבַע
Transliteration: shebaʻ
Pronunciation: sheh'-bah
Description: or (masculine) (שִׁבְעָה); from שָׁבַע; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number; ([phrase] by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare שִׁבְעָנָה. - Strong's Number: H2320
There are 224 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֹדֶשׁ
Transliteration: chôdesh
Pronunciation: kho'-desh
Description: from חָדַשׁ; the new moon; by implication, a month; month(-ly), new moon.