The Hebrew word sâthar, represented by H8368, is a primitive root defined as to break out (as an eruption); have in (one's) secret parts. This highly specific term is exceptionally rare, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse within the entire biblical text. Its singular usage points to a very particular and graphic event.
The sole appearance of H8368 is in 1 Samuel 5:9, which describes a divine plague. After the Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant and carried it about, the "hand of the LORD" H3068 was against their city with a "very great destruction" H4103. The scripture states that God "smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts" 1 Samuel 5:9. Here, H8368 provides a vivid detail of the physical judgment inflicted upon the people.
The context of this word's single use links it directly to other terms describing divine judgment:
- H5221 nâkâh (to strike, smite): This verb describes God's direct action. He smote the men of the city, which resulted in the affliction described by H8368.
- H2914 ṭᵉchôr (emerod): This word specifies the nature of the ailment as a boil or ulcer. The text pairs it directly with H8368 to clarify that these emerods broke out in the people's secret parts 1 Samuel 5:9.
- H4103 mᵉhûwmâh (destruction, vexation, tumult): This word establishes the broader context of chaos and ruin brought by God's judgment. The affliction was part of a "very great destruction" upon the city 1 Samuel 5:9.
- H3027 yâd (hand): This term is used to denote God's power and direct intervention, as "the hand of the LORD was against the city" 1 Samuel 5:9, causing the plague.
The theological significance of H8368 is tied entirely to its unique appearance as an instrument of divine judgment.
- Specificity of Judgment: The use of H8368 demonstrates that God's judgment can be intensely specific and physical, targeting the body's "secret parts" in a humiliating and painful manner 1 Samuel 5:9.
- Divine Sovereignty: The event shows the absolute power of the "hand of the LORD" H3027 over human bodies, inflicting a plague that could not be stopped 1 Samuel 5:9.
- Consequences of Irreverence: The affliction described is a direct consequence of the Philistines' mishandling of the holy Ark of the Covenant. The use of this word underscores the severe physical outcome of treating sacred things with contempt.
In summary, H8368 is a powerful and graphic word whose meaning is confined to a single, dramatic event of divine retribution. Though used only once, sâthar illustrates the personal, physical, and severe nature of God's judgment when His holiness is violated. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences that befell the men of the city when the "hand of the LORD" brought destruction upon them 1 Samuel 5:9.
TRV