1 Samuel (Written) – The Superior Word

1 Samuel 7:10-17 (The Stone of the Helper, Part II)

Charlie Garrett 1 Samuel (Written), Recent Sermons (Written) Sunday, September 28th, 2025Sunday, September 28th, 2025

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 7:10-17
(The Stone of the Helper, Part II)

(Typed 30 July 2025) The verses in this sermon will complete an amazing journey, taking us typologically through dispensations of God’s redemptive plan. They convey truths that are presented logically so that things can be highlighted.

Some details are confusing unless laid out meticulously, but once they are, they resolve all kinds of difficulties that have arisen in the minds of scholars.

The way this is done is similar to many other passages in Scripture. For example, Genesis 1 gave a synopsis of the order of creation. However, there also needed to be a more detailed explanation so that we could understand why things are the way they are.

To do this, God gave us details of the sixth day of creation in Genesis 2, which flows logically into Genesis 3. Similarly, the narrative from the ending of 1 Samuel 3 through the end of 1 Samuel 7 somewhat follows this pattern, but it is a little more complicated.

Once you see how everything is presented, though, you will have a better understanding of why it was presented this way. It is orderly, fills in many necessary details, and allows us to see into the future concerning what God is doing.

Text Verse: “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ ⁶So we may boldly say:
‘The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5, 6

The Hebrew words even ha’ezer mean Stone the Helper. The word even, stone, is used to describe the Lord at times, such as Genesis 49:24, where He is called the Stone of Israel. The Lord is called our Help or Helper in both testaments of the Bible.

One is a concrete image, the Stone. If someone asks you to describe the Lord in your life, you might say, “He is my Stone of Permanency.” People would understand that you mean an immovable stone.

The other is less concrete. If you ask someone to close his eyes and think of the Lord as his Helper, he might think of Him reaching down and grabbing him as he was drowning or boosting him over a wall he couldn’t quite scale. That, however, describes His actions, rather than an image of who He is.

Both types of thinking are helpful in grasping who the Lord is, because at times, understanding who He is relies on knowing what He does, what His thought process is like, or what His innate attributes are. He Helps. He is like a Stone. He is immortal. Each of these is a different aspect of how God is portrayed in the Bible.

Pay attention to these things. Revel in what you contemplate. And hold fast to such truths. As you go through life, you will need to consider the various presentations of God based on whatever situation you may be in or in how you are called to present Him for others to understand.

Such great truths as these are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Stone the Helper (verses 10-12)

¹⁰Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel.

vayhi sh_emuel maaleh ha’olah u-ph_elishtim nig_eshu lamilkhamah b_eyisrael – “And it was, Samuel causing to ascend the burnt offering, and Philistines they were approached to the battle in Israel.” This verse explains and expands upon what was said in the previous verse –

“And he took, Samuel, lamb – milk, one. And he caused to ascend burnt offering, whole, to Yehovah. And he shrieked, Samuel, unto Yehovah for Israel. And He answered him, Yehovah.” 1 Samuel 7:9

While the Philistines were approaching, Samuel offered the lamb and called out to the Lord for deliverance. Yehovah responded. That is explained in the next words…

^{10 (con’t)}But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day,

vayarem Y_ehovah b_eqol gadol bayom ha’hu al p_elishtim – “And He caused to tumble, Yehovah, in voice great in the day, the it, upon Philistines.” This is the same word introduced in 1 Samuel 1:6 when Peninnah would vex Hannah, mocking her because of her barren womb. It signifies to tumble, meaning to violently agitate.

Likewise, it was used again in Hannah’s prayer, pretty much describing what is happening in this verse –

Yehovah:
They will sink – He causing to grapple upon Him.
In the heavens – may He cause to tumble [raam].
Yehovah:
He will judge extremity earth,
And He will give strength to His King,
And may He cause to rise horn His Messiah.” 1 Samuel 2:10

Saying He thundered assumes that He did this actively, like with a storm or other elements to confuse the Philistines. It may be that this occurred through the heat of battle. However the Lord tumbled the Philistines, His actions were effective…

^{10 (con’t)}and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.

vayhumem vayinag_ephu lipne Yisrael – “And He confused them, and they were smitten to faces Israel.” The word hamam is used. It has been seen at other times during great battles or events. It is derived from hum, to make an uproar. Thus, it is an onomatopoetic word referring to the loud hum of battle.

In this case, it is the Philistines who are confused and disorganized through the resounding voice, the hamam, of the Lord. Because of the great confusion of the Philistines, Israel seized the initiative…

¹¹And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines,

vayets_eu anshe Yisrael min ha’mitspah vayird_ephu eth p_elishtim – “And they went, men Israel, from the Mizpah, and they pursued Philistines.” Israel saw that the line of the Philistines had been broken. Therefore, leaving The Watchtower, they chased after them. As they did…

^{11 (con’t)}and drove them back as far as below Beth Car.

vayakum ad mitakhath l_eveith kar – “And they struck them until from under to Beth Car.” This is the only mention of Beth Car in Scripture. Its location is unknown, but saying “from under to Beth Car” seems to indicate that it was on a hill above the path of flight used by the Philistines.

The meaning of the name is debated. The word kar has various meanings, including a type of domesticated animal, like a lamb, a battering ram, a pasture, or even a camel’s saddle. It is derived from the verb karar, to dance, but more specifically to twirl, found only in 2 Samuel 6.

Each of the meanings of kar gives the sense of accumulation, as in something circular that amasses as the circle is formed. The name is thus variously defined as House of a Lamb, House of Battering Rams, etc. Abarim goes to the source verb and says House of Accumulation. More simply, it could mean House of Twirling, as in forming a circular motion.

Because of the rout, it next says…

¹²Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen,

vayiqakh sh_emuel even akhath vayasem ben ha’mitspah u-ven ha’shen – “And he took, Samuel, stone one, and he put between the Mizpah and between the Shen.” Samuel set up a commemorative stone because of the events that took place. The location is between The Watchtower and The Shen, a place only mentioned here. Shen is identical to shen, a tooth. Thus, it literally means The Tooth.

The word shen is derived from shanan, to whet or sharpen. Intransitively, it means to pierce. In Deuteronomy 6:7, it is used to indicate the inculcation of instruction, as in “teach diligently,” but that is more of a paraphrase.

The idea in that verse of Deuteronomy is inculcating the commands into the children, but by using this word, it includes the idea of sharpness. It is as if the process of instilling the commands is so personal that the parent is cutting into the child and inscribing them into his heart and mind.

To get the sense, the word is used in Psalm 73:21 –

When my heart was embittered,
And I was pierced [shanan] within. Psalm 73:21 (NAS)

This was the responsibility of the parents, inscribing the commands of the law in the children. Paul uses a similar thought in Ephesians –

“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

This place, The Shen, was probably a pointed rock that stood out prominently like a tooth. As for the stone Samuel set up…

^{12 (con’t)}and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

There is an article which defines the stone: vayiqra eth sh_emah even ha’azer vayomar ad henah azaranu Y_ehovah – “and he called its name Stone the Helper. And he said, ‘Until hither He helped us, Yehovah.’” The stone is named Ezer, Helper. This is where it is named, but it was referred to in verse 4:1, anticipating this event –

“And he went out, Israel, to encounter Philistines to the battle. And they inclined upon the stone, the Ezer.” 1 Samuel 4:1

The use of two articles, the stone, the Ezer, shows that it was named previously. Samuel named it here in Chapter 7, but as it is referred to in Chapter 4, it shows that the narrative there was an insert. If you recall, the first words of Chapter 4 merged with the words of verse 7:3.

As an example, there is the story of Joseph being sold off to Egypt by his brothers in Genesis 37. Then the story of Judah and Tamar comprises Genesis 38. The narrative then returns to the life of Joseph in Egypt in Genesis 39.

Information needs to be inserted somewhere to explain events as they occur and which bear on redemptive history. Israel rejected the Lord after Jesus completed His work. The information about that and about what happened until the time Israel will accept Jesus in the future has been inserted between the opening clause of 4:1 until 7:3.

At verse 7:3, the narrative about Israel interacting with Samuel resumed. This will be explained more fully as the verses are evaluated. For now…

A twirling has taken place
It is recorded in a book
In it, you will find God’s face
Open it up and take a look

A story was compiled for us
Leading us from one point and back again
The word is about our Lord Jesus
He is the Redeemer, the Savior of men

Be sure to see how it is laid out
Look into it and see what has been amassed
The details will make you whoop and shout
Yes, its contents are an amazing blast

II. And He Judged Israel (verses 13-17)

¹³So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel.

vayikan_eu ha’p_elishtim v_elo yas_ephu od labo bigvul Yisrael – “And they were humbled, Philistines, and not they added again to come in border Israel.” As noted in 1 Samuel 4:1, it is possible that this statement aligns with Judges 13:1 –

“Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.”

The narrative of Samson went through Judges 16. After his time, the Philistines continued to come into the borders of Israel until this point of Samuel’s time of judging. The statement is given as a fact. The Philistines were humbled, and after this, they no longer came across Israel’s border.

These words are not contradictory to what is next said, nor of verse 15…

^{13 (con’t)}And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

vat_ehi yad Y_ehovah ba’p_elishtim kol y_eme sh_emuel – “And it was, hand Yehovah, in the Philistines all days Samuel.” The “days Samuel” are interpreted by some scholars as the time of his judging Israel until the time when Saul became king. This is incorrect.

Verse 7:15 will say that Samuel judged Israel for his entire life. That would be inclusive of the time after Saul was anointed. There continued to be engagements with the Philistines during Saul’s time and into the time of David.

The words don’t mean that there were no battles with the Philistines. Rather, the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel, including when they warred against Israel. Embraced in this…

¹⁴Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath;

vatashov_enah hearim asher laq_ekhu ph_elishtim meeth Yisrael l_eYisrael meeqron v_ead gath v_eeth g_evulan – “And they returned, the cities – which they took, Philistines, from Israel – to Israel, from Ekron and until Gath and their border.” This does not mean that Ekron and Gath were returned to Israel.

The word “from” appears to mean that there were cities in Israel that had been taken by the Philistines. These cities, up to the borders of Ekron and Gath, were restored to Israel.

Ekron comes from aqar, to pluck up or uproot. But that is from the same as eqer, an offshoot or descendant. Hence, the name could mean either Offshoot or Uprooted. Gath means Winepress.

The restoration of the cities and land next continues to be explained…

^{14 (con’t)}and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines.

hitsil Yisrael miyad p_elishtim – “He caused to snatch, Israel, from hand Philistines.” Israel was able to reacquire all that was lost to the Philistines as they continued pushing back the Philistines to the borders of Ekron and Gath.

^{14 (con’t)}Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

vayhi shalom ben Yisrael u’ven ha’emori – “And it was peace between Israel and between the Amorite.” The Amorite is only mentioned in this verse in 1 Samuel. At times, like the word Canaanite, it is a general term for the inhabitants of the land. That is probably the intent here. A similar use was seen in Judges 6:10.

Though the statement may indicate that this peace resulted from the Amorites seeing the defeat of the Philistines and not wanting to be subdued in a similar manner, it may simply be a way of saying that not only were the Philistines no longer a threat, but there was no threat from the other inhabitants as well.

The latter seems likely because nothing has been said about them since Judges 11. Therefore, the statement would essentially mean, “Israel found peace throughout all its territory.”

Amorite means Renown.

¹⁵And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

vayishpot sh_emuel eth Yisrael kol y_eme khaiyav – “And he judged, Samuel, Israel all days his livings.” This is a clear indication that even though Saul will be anointed and reign as king, Samuel will continue to judge Israel. This included judging Saul, as will be seen in his future interactions with him.

Therefore, it can be assumed that until the death of Samuel, the king held a military authority while Samuel continued as the highest judicial authority. He also served as prophet and even conducted mediatorial duties. Only after his death would these offices be separately and more precisely defined.

¹⁶He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah,

v’halakh mide shanah b_eshanah v_esavav beith el v_ehagilgal v_eha’mitspah – “And he walked from day year in year, and he revolved – Bethel and the Gilgal and the Mizpah.” The NKJV appears to be a proper paraphrase of the intent of the Hebrew. Each year at a set time, Samuel would head out on a circuit to each of these locations in order to judge the people.

Bethel means House of God. It is certain that this location is the city known as Bethel in the territory of Benjamin, the same spot which was visited by Jacob as he fled from Esau. There is no reason to assume it is referring to the place where the ark was, which would make it the “house of God” rather than Bethel.

Gilgal is from the same as gilgal, wheel. It signifies a circle, generally of stones. There are many such circles still in Israel today. There are three locations with this name in the Bible, but it is likely this is the spot referred to in Joshua, where Israel first set up camp after crossing the Jordan.

The name literally means The Wheel or The Rolling Away, but due to the Lord’s proclamation in Joshua 5, it metaphorically and typologically means The Liberty –

“Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.’ Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.” Joshua 5:9

As seen earlier, the Mizpah means The Watchtower. This is likely the Mizpah located in the land of Benjamin as well.

From year to year, Samuel would go to these three places on a circuit…

^{16 (con’t)}and judged Israel in all those places.

v_eshaphat eth Yisrael eth kal ham_eqomoth ha’eleh – “And he judged Israel all the spots, the these.” The locations were suitable for people to easily come and receive his judgments. They are, however, located in a more southerly area of the land of Israel. Thus, his judging was rather localized, as was the case with the other judges.

¹⁷But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there.

uth_eshuvato ha’ramathah ki sham beito – “And his recurrence the Ramah-ward. For there his house.” In the first clause, there is a new word, teshuvah. It signifies a recurrence. This can be either in location or time. In Job 21, it even signifies the repetition of responses in a conversation.

In this case, it means that after going to judge each town in his circuit, he would head home toward Ramah, the place where his house was. This was where his father was from, also called Ramathaim Zophim in 1 Samuel 1:1.

The Ramah means The Height or The Lofty Place. As with the other three locations…

^{17 (con’t)}There he judged Israel,

v_esham shaphat eth Yisrael – “And there, he judged Israel.” As such, Samuel judged Israel in four locations, but mainly from his home in Ramah. Also…

*^{17 (fin)}and there he built an altar to the Lord.

vayiven sham mizbeakh l_eY_ehovah – “And he built there altar to Yehovah.” At some point, Shiloh stopped being the place where the tabernacle was located. It could be that when the Philistines took the ark, Shiloh fell into disuse.

It doesn’t seem likely that it was destroyed by the Philistines because that is where Eli and his family were. Nothing is said of the Philistines destroying it. Whatever the case was with the tabernacle, the ark rested in Kiriath Jearim.

Despite the lack of information, we have this note concerning Samuel building an altar. This would have been constructed according to the law of the altar given in Exodus 20 –

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: “You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. ²³You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. ²⁴An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you. ²⁵And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. ²⁶Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.”’” Exodus 20:22-26

With the verses complete, we can now look at why the Lord included the details of this chapter…

The time is yet ahead
When they shall know their Lord
No longer in their sins, dead
This is revealed in the word

Their history has been troubled
Because they didn’t know the Lord
At times, their punishment was doubled
Because they failed to heed the word

But a time lies ahead for Israel
When this will be forever ended
What a glorious story to tell
When their relationship with the Lord is mended

III. Pictures of Christ

Chapter 6 detailed the catastrophe of what occurred at Beth Shemesh, where the people looked into the Ark, and the Lord struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people. That was explained as pointing to the period of time when Israel would suffer the punishment of “looking at the law” without the atoning blood of Christ.

In other words, Israel rejected the lesson of the Weakeners that was provided in the previous account, assumed that they were acceptable to God through the Law of Moses, and rejected the atonement that only Jesus can provide.

The ark was typologically given to prefigure Jesus. He is the One who embodies the law. The blood sprinkled on the mercy seat, anticipating His shed blood, is what protects believers from the consequences of law violation

Because of what happened, messengers were sent to Kirjath Jearim, telling them to come down and take it with them. It formed a picture of Jesus having been rejected by Israel. The picture is that of the church being offered Christ as its Head.

Chapter 7 began with the men of Kirjath Jearim taking the ark. It signifies the acceptance of Jesus’ work by the church. The ark was taken to the house of Abinadab in the hill. Abinadab, Father of Liberality, is a reference to the willing and generous nature of the Father to share the work of His Son with all –

“For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” Romans 10:11-13

Saying Abinadab’s house was “in the hill” is a way of tying this generosity to Christ’s cross. The word givah, hill, is identical to givah, Gibeah. Both are etymologically connected to Gabbatha. It was used many times in Judges as a typological representation of Christ’s work, culminating in His judgment and cross.

The liberality of this extends to the liberality of what results from accepting it –

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6

Verse 1 continued with the words, “And Eleazar, his son, they will consecrate to guard Ark Yehovah.” Eleazar means Whom God Helps. In the final Judges 20 sermon, a person with the same name pictured Jesus the High Priest. The symbolism remains the same here. It is exactingly reflected in the words of Hebrews –

“As He also says in another place:
‘You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek’;
⁷who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, ⁸though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, ¹⁰called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5:6-10

Verse 2 said that the days the ark was there increased. It is a way of saying, “a long time.” That is a great description of the church age while Israel remains under punishment and without the Lord.

The noted time period, twenty years, wasn’t the time the ark was at this location, but the time that “groaned, all house Israel, after Yehovah.” It was during this period that the state of Israel was described by the Pulpit Commentary.

They were merely commenting on what those twenty years would have been like, but listen to their words again and think of the state of Israel for the past two thousand years. What they say could not better describe Israel’s situation –

“The words dwell wearily upon the length of this mournful period, during which Israel was in a state of subjection to the Philistines, with its national life crushed to the ground, and its strength wasted by unjust exactions and misrule. For though the Philistines gave up the ark, there was no restoration of the national worship, nor did they abandon the political fruits of their victory at Eben-ezer. But quietly and calmly Samuel was labouring to put all things right. It was the principle of the theocracy that Jehovah punished his subjects for their sins by withdrawing his protection, and that on their repentance he took again his place at their head as their king, and delivered them.” Pulpit Commentary

The spiritual meaning of twenty in the Bible is expectancy. It is an exact description of Israel’s past two thousand years. They have held fast to the idea of the coming Messiah this whole time, not realizing they missed Him when He came. And so, they remain lamenting after the Lord until this day.

The narrative completely changed direction in verse 3. But to understand the flow of the book, we have to go back and revisit the end of Chapter 3, where I promised to explain how it all fits together.

The narrative of Eli ended in Chapter 3 with verse 18. From there, three points of fact about Samuel were introduced. After that, Chapter 4 began with a single clause about Samuel and then went back to the narrative beginning with the ark being captured. That goes from 4:1b until 7:2. As such, the words form a long parenthetical insert, ending with the church age (verses 7:1, 2).

The church age ends with the rapture. It is at that time that the narrative that began in 3:19 resumes. 3:19-21 provided information about Samuel, which takes place after the church age –

Points of fact concerning Samuel:
^3:19 And he will grow, Samuel. And Yehovah, He was with him. And not he caused to fall from all His words, ground-ward. ²⁰And it will know, all Israel, from Dan and until Beer-Sheba, for being faithful, Samuel, to prophet to Yehovah. ²¹ And He will cause to add, Yehovah, to be seen in Shiloh. For He was denuded, Yehovah, unto Samuel in Shilo in word Yehovah.

The meaning is that Samuel, Asked from God and signifying the seed of grace (Christ and those in Him), will eventually be recognized by all of Israel. The words from Dan to Beersheba speak of the totality of Israel, just as in Judges 20.

Because this comes after the rapture, it is inclusive of the tribulation period. Dan represents the time of and after the rapture, something hinted at by James 5:9, where he says the Judge stands at the door. Beersheba refers to the seven years of the tribulation initiated by the antichrist, as was the case in the story of Genesis 26 and Judges 20.

During this period, Yehovah “will cause to add” to be seen in Shiloh (Tranquility), meaning the state of those who have come to Christ. This is because the Lord revealed (denuded) Himself unto the seed of grace in Shilo (the time before the giving of the Spirit, indicated by the missing letter hey (h) on Shiloh during the tribulation. That is what the state of being under the law is: a time lacking grace.

It is at that time that the words of 7:3 resume the narrative. The details of 4:1b to 7:2 had to be stated somewhere. Looking at it in this manner exactingly resolves all of the seeming conflicts and contradictions referred to by scholars throughout the centuries.

Verse 7:3, after reintroducing Samuel, then went on to say, “If in all your heart you returning unto Yehovah, you must cause to turn aside gods the foreign from your midst, and the Ashtaroth. And you must cause to erect your heart unto Yehovah. And you must serve Him to His separation. And may He cause to snatch away, you, from hand Philistines.”

According to the dispensational model, this is just what is expected to happen at the end of the tribulation. Remember the meaning of Ashtaroth! One Law. Israel is being told to have no other gods (something they have a lot of now) and to remove the ONE LAW!

Jesus fulfilled the law. It is not what God wants for Israel. Rejecting Jesus and sticking to Moses is exactly what caused all of their troubles for the past two millennia. Instead, they are collectively told to “erect your heart unto Yehovah. And you must serve Him to His separation.” It is Jesus Christ, plus nothing, to whom they are to direct their hearts!

In doing that, Israel will be saved from the hand of the Weakeners. Verse 4 said this is just what they did. In verse 5, they were told to gather at the Mizpah. As in Judges, Mizpah signifies that the Lord is watching over the process of what transpires.

There, Israel gathered and poured out water before the Lord and fasted. It is the national contrition referred to, particularly in the book of Zechariah where the people will acknowledge their sin before the Lord.

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. ¹¹In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.” Zechariah 12:10, 11

Verse 6 ended with the words that Samuel judged the sons of Israel in the Mizpah. It is also just what will occur at this time according to the dispensational model. Naturally, there will be an upheaval at this time when the Weakeners, those who refuse to come to Christ and insist on law observance, will come against those who have received Christ. That is reflected in verses 7 and 8.

Because of this, it says that Samuel took a lamb – milk one, and offered it. This type of lamb is noted only here and in Isaiah 65:25. It signifies one that is spotted. The word comes from tala, to patch or cover with pieces. That word was used six times in Genesis 30 when referring to the spotting of Jacob’s flocks.

That was a picture of the growth of the church based on Paul’s epistles, which detail the work of Christ. This is the same thought here. Paul’s letters will be accepted by Israel, and his words will be returned in their hearts as an offering to God. The fact that it is a milking lamb signifies acceptance of the milk of the word as well.

In accepting the full revelation of the word, last week’s sermon ended with, “And He answered him, Yehovah.” The Lord will accept those who accept Him. Because of this, verse 10 began the verses today noting that Yehovah caused to tumble upon the Philistines, the Weakeners.

The meaning is that this unsound doctrine is rejected by the Lord and will be overthrown. Israel then chased after them and drove them back to Beth Car, House of Twirling. It signifies a circular motion while accumulating. It is the same symbolism as the agalah, the cart, of Chapter 6. It refers to the circular nature of the Bible.

As it turned in redemptive history, it accumulated, book after book, until it returned to its beginning. The idea is “The detailed record, from paradise to paradise.”

With this victory, it next said in verse 12, “And he took, Samuel, stone one, and he put between the Mizpah and between the Shen.” The meaning of Shen is Tooth, but that is derived from shanan, to whet or sharpen. Intransitively, it means to pierce.

It is a noun, thus indicating to sharpen, to pierce, and to inculcate through instruction. All three thoughts coalesce in one verse in Scripture when referring to… Scripture –

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Understanding this, verse 12 continued with Samuel calling the stone Stone the Helper, saying, “Until hither He helped us, Yehovah.” A truer statement could not be said of Israel at the end of the tribulation period. From beginning to end, He has been their Stone, the Helper, even when they failed to recognize it.

Verse 13 noted that the Philistines (Weakeners) did not come again into the border of Israel. Adam Clarke, who almost wholly dismisses typology as a biblical doctrine, commented on this verse. Despite not believing in any future typological pictures, his words perfectly match the state of Israel at that time –

“They came no more into the coast of Israel – Perhaps a more signal victory was never gained by Israel; the Lord had brought them low, almost to extermination; and now, by his miraculous interference, he lifts them completely up, and humbles to the dust their proud oppressors. God often suffers nations and individuals to be brought to the lowest extremity, that he may show his mercy and goodness by suddenly rescuing them from destruction, when all human help has most evidently failed.” Adam Clarke

For Israel, it is the end of the nightmare of law observance being shoved down their throat since its fulfillment by Christ. The Lord will stand against it as long as the seed of Grace, pictured by Samuel, continues.

Verse 14 noted the returned cities from Ekron to Gath. Ekron means Uprooted and Offshoot. It is a double entendre. Those who remain under law observance will be uprooted, but those who acknowledge Christ alone will have their sins uprooted. They will be the offshoot of their response to the law or the Lord.

Gath signifies Winepress. It refers to the judgment at the end of the tribulation period. All that belongs to Israel on that day, as promised in the prophets, will once again be restored to them in preparation for the millennium. Verse 14 also mentioned peace between Israel and the Amorite, Renown.

As seen in Judges 1, the name can be used positively about believers or negatively about nonbelievers. In this case, it is referring to those who have their renown because of Christ. All believers will be in a state of peace at that time.

Verse 16 noted that Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life, going from Bethel (House of God) to the Gilgal (The Liberty) to the Mizpah (The Watchtower). It is reflective of the all-encompassing work of Christ from heaven, in freedom from law, and with the supervision of God over His people.

Verse 17 finished with the note concerning Samuel returning Ramah-ward where his house is. From there, he judged Israel, and it is where he built an altar.

The Ramah is The Height (meaning The Lofty Place). As in previous sermons, it signifies the position the Lord places believers because of their faith in Him. Building an altar there is a picture of the Lord Jesus in His humanity.

To understand the significance, you are encouraged to go back and watch the Exodus 20:18-26 sermon entitled “The Earthen Altar” –big fun for you tonight. It is an exceptionally fitting end to the chapter, highlighting the humanity of the Lord Jesus who took on the sin of the world to redeem fallen man. Israel will finally understand this someday and call out to Him for salvation.

With these verses complete, a snapshot of Israel’s history, which also typologically concerns the relationship of the Lord and the church during this dispensation, has been presented. These chapters have set forth propositions that need to be understood. They have set forth truths which are to be believed. And they have repeatedly revealed the problem with law and our need for grace.

From here, 1 Samuel will develop in dispensational theology. It was necessary that these points be presented for a fuller and more complete understanding of what God is doing in redemptive history. There has been enough overlap with other such accounts to ensure we know the accuracy of what has been presented.

And yet, there has been enough new information to continue to instruct us on what God is doing and why. Above all, the message of Jesus’ work and His fulfillment of the law is on prominent display. Please learn the lesson of law versus grace.

One will lead to alienation, the other to salvation. Hold fast to the grace of God which is found in Jesus Christ our Lord. This is what will bring you to a state of harmony with God once again.

Closing Verse: “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ²For He says:
‘In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2

Next Week: 1 Samuel 8:1-22 Until it is done, we will from verse to verse leaple… (Hear the Voice of the People) (15^th 1 Samuel Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He is the One who abases the haughty and exalts the humble. He regards the lowly, and the proud He knows from afar. So yield yourself to Him, trust Him, and believe His word. In this, He will do great things for you and through you.

1 Samuel 7:10-17 (CG)

¹⁰And it was, Samuel causing to ascend the burnt offering, and Philistines they were approached to the battle in Israel. And He caused to tumble, Yehovah, in voice great in the day, the it, upon Philistines. And He confused them, and they were smitten to faces Israel. ¹¹And they went, men Israel, from the Mizpah, and they pursued Philistines. And they struck them until from under to Beth Car. ¹²And he took, Samuel, stone one, and he put between the Mizpah and between the Shen, and he called its name Stone the Helper. And he said, “Until hither He helped us, Yehovah.”

¹³And they were humbled, Philistines, and not they added again to come in border Israel. And it was, hand Yehovah, in the Philistines all days Samuel. ¹⁴And they returned, the cities – which they took, Philistines, from Israel – to Israel, from Ekron and until Gath and their border. He caused to snatch, Israel, from hand Philistines. And it was peace between Israel and between the Amorite.

¹⁵ And he judged, Samuel, Israel all days his livings. ¹⁶And he walked from day year in year, and he revolved – Bethel and the Gilgal and the Mizpah. And he judged Israel all the spots, the these. ¹⁷And his recurrence the Ramah-ward. For there his house. And there, he judged Israel. And he built there altar to Yehovah.

1 Samuel 7:10-17 (NKJV)

¹⁰Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. ¹¹And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. ¹²Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

¹³So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

¹⁵And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. ¹⁷But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

1 Samuel 7:1-9 (The Stone of the Helper, Part I)

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 7:1-9
The Stone of the Helper, Part I

(Typed 23 July 2025) In the account today, there are things that don’t seem to make sense to scholars. In fact, some find them completely inexplicable. Because of this, a multitude of explanations have arisen to try to make sense of what is being said.

John Lange gives a lengthy commentary on the matter, citing other scholars and explaining their views. His commentary is long and complicated, and I will explain it as simply as possible.

What he writes is worth reading, but his conclusions are incorrect. The other scholars he cites know there is a problem with the information as given, and they come up with various explanations, which are also incorrect. I am assuming that what I propose is correct.

If that is the case, what would be the reason that these great scholars have not figured out how to reconcile the narrative, which is obviously confusing and which doesn’t logically flow as it is presented in the narrative?

Text Verse: “Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
We found it in the fields of the woods.
⁷Let us go into His tabernacle;
Let us worship at His footstool.
⁸Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.” Psalm 132:6-8

The words of the text verse refer to the ark. The psalm saying, “We found it in the fields of the woods” is a reference to where it is now in the Samuel narrative, Kirjath Jearim. The psalmist was remembering the time when David had the ark moved from there.

The reason the scholars cannot figure out why the text is the way it is and how to reconcile its peculiarities is that they are not looking for Jesus. None of their analyses attempts to fit Him into the picture. Instead, they are looking at the account as literal history (which it is) and attempting to analyze it solely from that perspective.

But as I have said many times, there are innumerable things that happened in Israel that are not recorded. Despite all of the history that occurred there, God chose only a few stories, and the word doesn’t tell us why this story was chosen while that one wasn’t.

Wait. Yes, it does. Luke 24:27 says concerning Jesus, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Jesus, in John 5:39, says, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” Paul, speaking of the account of Sarah and Hagar said, “which things are symbolic” (Galatians 4:24).

God selected real events before and during Israel’s history so that we could understand Jesus, future history in relation to Jesus, etc. Unless we stand back and look at these stories as typological representations, we will not be able to understand why the text is often so complicated.

This is why translators often change what the text is saying. Most don’t do so with malicious intent, but they feel that what is literally stated is incomprehensible. Only when thinking about what is going on from a greater perspective, meaning what God is telling us about Jesus and what is going on in redemptive history, will we find that what was seemingly incomprehensible is actually reasonable.

In Chapters 3 and 4, I made some assumptions about what is presented here in Chapter 7. At the time, it was guesswork because I had not evaluated what was said here. Were my suppositions correct? You can decide after hearing the explanation of Chapter 7.

That starts in just seconds. Great things are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. And They Served Yehovah (verses 1-4)

Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord,

vayavou anshe qiryath y_earim vayaalu eth aron Y_ehovah – “And they came, men Kirjath Jearim, and they caused to ascend Ark Yehovah.” Kirjath Jearim was mentioned in the previous chapter. After the people of Beth Shemesh looked into the ark, the Lord struck them greatly. Because of that, Chapter 6 closes out saying –

“And the men of Beth Shemesh said, ‘Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?’ ²¹So 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.’” 1 Samuel 6:20, 21

The narrative continues as the men who were summoned from Kirjath Jearim come and accept the Ark of Yehovah as petitioned. As noted, Kirjath Jearim means City of Forests or City of Honeycombs. With the ark in their possession, it next says…

^{1 (con’t)}and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill,

vayaviu otho el beith avinadav bagivah – “And they caused to bring it unto house Abinadab in the hill.” The glaring omission of what tribe Abinadab belonged to is purposeful. Scholars insist he must have been from the tribe of Levi, or it “would be a gross violation of the Law” (Barnes, et al.).

It is irrelevant what tribe he belonged to. Not naming his tribe is purposeful. Abinadab comes from av, father, and nadav, willing, as in “willing to share,” generous, etc. As such, it means something like My Father is Generous, Father of Liberality, etc.

As for the location of the house, it says bagivah. The meaning is either “in the hill” or “in the Gibeah.” The latter was proposed by the Coverdale Bible of 1535. One Catholic version also uses that.

Either way, the word givah, hill, is etymologically connected to Gabbatha. It was typologically used in this manner on several occasions in the book of Judges. With the ark brought to this house in this location, it next says…

^{1 (con’t)}and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

v_eeth El_eazar b_eno qid_eshu lishmor eth aron Y_ehovah – “And Eleazar, his son, they will consecrate to guard Ark Yehovah.” Bucking against most others, the JFB Commentary says, “He was not a Levite, and was therefore only set apart or appointed to be keeper of the place.”

They may be right, but as noted above, what tribe they belonged to is purposefully left out of the narrative. All it says is that this son of Abinadab was consecrated to guard the ark. Eleazer means Whom God Helps.

²So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time;

The expression is unusual: vayhi miyom sheveth ha’aron b_eqiryath y_earim vayirbu ha’yamim – “And it was from day dwelling the ark in Kirjath Jearim, and they increased – the days.” The ark was taken from Israel’s open possession, and the days it was gone were purposefully increased, each being added with no known time when the cycle would end.

Of this time, and without making any typological connections to its significance, the Pulpit Commentary says the following –

Despite not making any typological connections, their words exactingly reflect the typological future being hinted at. As for the ark’s stay at this location…

^{2 (con’t)}it was there twenty years.

The NKJV inserts the word “there” without italicizing it. The word does not belong. Further, the subject is not the ark but the number of days. The verb is masculine plural, corresponding to the word “days”: vayihyu esrim shanah “And they were twenty years.”

This clause does not describe the amount of time the ark is at the house of Abinadab. This is proven from 2 Samuel 6 when David has it brought from there to take it to Jerusalem. Rather, the words anticipate the next clause. However, the ark will be mentioned again in 1 Samuel 14:18 –

“And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here” (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel).”

Despite this, 2 Samuel 6 notes that the ark was still at the house of Abinadab until the time of David.

As for the number twenty, Bullinger says –

“TWENTY is the double of ten, and may in some cases signify its concentrated meaning. But its significance seems rather to be connected with the fact that it is one short of twenty-one, 21 – 1 = 20; that is to say, if 21 is the three-fold 7, and signifies Divine (3) completion as regards spiritual perfection (7), then twenty, being one short of 21, it would signify what Dr. Milo Mahan calls expectancy.” E. W. Bullinger

During this twenty-year period of expectancy, it next says…

^{2 (con’t)}And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

Again, the verb is masculine plural: vayinahu kal beith Yisrael akhare Y_ehovah – “And they were groaned, all house Israel, after Yehovah.” The word nahal is introduced. It is a rare word signifying to groan or bewail. The days that multiplied and became years were a point of bewailing to the house of Israel.

And now, we come to a pivotal point in the narrative that was noted in Chapter 3…

³Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel,

“Then” is a time marker not stated or implied in the words: vayomer sh_emuel el kal beith Yisrael – “And he said, Samuel unto all house Israel.” The words don’t logically follow in thought after the previous verse. A scholar named Otto Thenius understood this and stated there is a gap between the two verses. Despite this, Keil and Lange disagree. They say the five-fold repetition of the word “and” distinctly connects them.

I have no idea what Thenius’ solution to or analysis of the gap is, but in Chapter 3, I suggested that the final three verses were not given as a chronological marker that occurs before the events of Chapters 4-6. Rather, they were simply points of fact –

1) Samuel grew and the Lord was with him, and He caused none of his words to fall groundward, 2) All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel had been established a prophet of the Lord, and 3) Yehovah appeared again in Shiloh and he was denuded (made fully known) unto Samuel “in Shilo in word Yehovah.”

Dropping the “h” in Shiloh was purposeful and instructive, telling us that typology is being conveyed. It is our job to figure out why such changes are made. I also noted that the opening clause of Chapter 4 actually belongs chronologically after the events of Chapters 4 through 6, which were a parenthetical insert –

Points of fact concerning Samuel:
^3:19 “And he will grow, Samuel. And Yehovah, He was with him. And not he caused to fall from all His words, ground-ward. ²⁰And it will know, all Israel, from Dan and until Beer-Sheba, for being faithful, Samuel, to prophet to Yehovah. ²¹ And He will cause to add, Yehovah, to be seen in Shiloh. For He was denuded, Yehovah, unto Samuel in Shilo in word Yehovah.”

Narrative of Samuel’s interaction with Israel:
^4:1 “And it is, word Samuel, to all Israel. (…) ^7:3 And he said, Samuel, unto all house Israel, to say, “If in all your heart you returning unto Yehovah, you must cause to turn aside gods the foreign from your midst, and the Ashtoreth. And you must cause to erect your heart unto Yehovah. And you must serve Him to His separation. And may He cause to snatch away, you, from hand Philistines.”

Though confusing, this is similar to what occurred in the book of Judges. This parenthesis explains the abrupt change between verses 2 and 3 here, and why Keil and Lange are incorrect. The consecutive “and” is perfectly explained by adjoining the first clause of verse 4:1 with this narrative in verse 7:3.

We are being shown information that belongs to one dispensation or another that has to be inserted somewhere. The way the narrative is laid out is precise and purposeful, even if it is a bit complicated.

Remembering that Samuel thus far has pictured the Seed of Grace, (he is the son of Hannah, Grace), the entire picture, as it is laid out, makes complete sense. Samuel, the Seed of Grace, speaks to Israel…

^{3 (con’t)}saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts,

lemor im b_ekhal l_evavkhem atem shavim el Yehovah – “to say, ‘If in all your heart you returning unto Yehovah.” The words imply that Israel is not right with the Lord. They have no relationship with Him, and are instead following other gods.

As such, things are not going well for them. That will be seen as the verse continues. In order to correct that, Samuel is calling for them to return their hearts to Yehovah and act in accord with the change…

^{3 (con’t)}then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you,

Rather: hasiru eth elohe ha’nekhar mitokh’khem v_eha’ashtaroth – “you must cause to turn aside gods the foreign from your midst, and the Ashtaroth.” The people were following various gods, not the One true God. These gods are defined by the word nekhar, signifying foreign or strange.

Also noted is the Ashtaroth. It is a proper noun. The word Ashtaroth (not Ashtoreths) is plural. However, the reason why it is considered singular as a name is, as Abarim explains, “to reflect an intense veneration of one.”

The etymology of the name is rather complicated, but Abarim defines it as Unity of Instruction or One Law. Samuel continues, saying…

^{3 (con’t)}and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only;

v_ehakhinu l_evavkhem el Y_ehovah v_eivduhu l_evado – “And you must cause to erect your heart unto Yehovah. And you must serve Him to His separation.” One cannot serve the Lord and other gods. This is similar to what is seen in Paul’s words in Acts –

“…testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21

The meaning of “repentance toward God” is reconsidering who God is. Samuel is saying, “Give up on the other gods and the Ashtaroth and establish their (pl.) national heart (heart is singular) unto Yehovah…

^{3 (con’t)}and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

Rather, the verb is a jussive: v_eyatsel ethkhem miyad p_elishtim – “And may He cause to snatch away, you, from hand Philistines.” It is not saying that the Lord will do it. Instead, it is a petition from Samuel, stated in a softened but authoritative manner for Him to do it.

Philistines means Weakeners.

With Samuel’s words stated to Israel, there is a response…

⁴So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths,

vayasiru b_ene Yisrael eth hab_ealim v_eeth ha’ashtaroth – “And they caused to turn aside, sons Israel, the Baals and the Ashtaroth.” The foreign gods of the previous verse are now called ha’b_ealim, the Baals. The word signifies a lord or master. Thus, it is an identification with foreign gods, accepting them as lords or masters over them.

Just as Samuel instructed, the people did. They reconsidered what they were doing and mentally turned from it, giving up on the false lords and the Ashtaroth…

^{4 (con’t)}and served the Lord only.

vayaavdu eth Y_ehovah l_evado – And they served Yehovah to His separation.” The words “to His separation” mean to Him alone. All other gods and allegiances are separated and thus excluded.

The Philistines want to get you
They want to possess your very soul
There is nothing they won’t do
To wield over you total control

This is what they want, nothing less
And they will do it by weakening your will
If they get it, your life will be a mess
For you, it will be a sad, bitter pill

Eyes on Jesus! Fix them on Him alone
Don’t let the Philistines ruin your soul
If they weasel in, your joy will be blown
And your life will spin out of control

II. In the Mizpah (verses 5-9)

⁵And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”

vayomer sh_emuel qivtsu eth kal Yisrael ha’mishpathah v_eethpalel baadkhem el Y_ehovah – “And he said, Samuel, ‘You must gather all Israel the Mizpah-ward, and I will intercede myself for you unto Yehovah.’” Samuel calls a national gathering of the people.

It is possible that he called only the elders who stand as representatives of their clans. Or it could be that the entire congregation came together as at the time of a pilgrim feast. Either way, the point is that the people were to gather and Samuel would be among them and intercede for them.

The Mizpah means The Watchtower.

In response to Samuel’s petition…

⁶So they gathered together at Mizpah,

vayiqav_etsu ha’mitspathah – “And they were gathered the Mizpah-ward.” If this is a literal watchtower and not merely a location, it would then explain why it says Mizpah-ward. You can only fit so many people into an edifice. The people would be gathered toward that location, assembling in the general area. Once they were in the area of the Mizpah, they…

^{6 (con’t)}drew water, and poured it out before the Lord.

vayishavu mayim vayishp_ekhu liphne Y_ehovah – “and they drew waters, and they poured to faces Yehovah.” Without an explanation of the intent of this ritual, which is not found elsewhere, only speculation can be made as to its significance. However, the upcoming clauses give a hint of the matter.

Water has various meanings in Scripture, including life, death (when poured out, as in the dissolution of life), cleansing, judgment, the Spirit, etc.

An ancient paraphrase says, “They poured out their heart like water in penitence before the Lord.” This is probably much of the intent. In Lamentations, it says –

“Arise, cry out in the night,
At the beginning of the watches;
Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him
For the life of your young children,
Who faint from hunger at the head of every street.” Lamentations 2:19

Lamentations ties the state of the heart when it is poured out to water. In the next clause, lifting of hands is a sign of petition “for the life of your young children.”

As such, the pouring of the heart like water would be a sign of contrition and penitence to include seeking spiritual cleansing. The water was drawn and then poured out…

^{6 (con’t)}And they fasted that day,

vayatsumu bayom ha’hu – “and they fasted in the day, the it.” The word tsum signifies to not eat, and thus to fast. It comes from a primitive root signifying “to cover over.” As such, it is as if the people covered their mouths to purposefully not eat.

For all we know, it could mean they actually covered their mouths as an open display of their fast. Fasting signifies denial and mourning. The only other time it has been seen so far was in Judges 20 –

“Then all the children of Israel, that is, all the people, went up and came to the house of God and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.” Judges 20:26

Based on this state of contrition, which probably included mourning as in Judges, it can be assumed that drawing and pouring out the water is likewise a sign of mourning and contrition. This seems even more likely when considering the next words…

^{6 (con’t)}and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.”

vayom_eru sham khatanu l_eY_ehovah – “And they said there, ‘We have sinned to Yehovah.’” Their words are an acknowledgement of their sin against the Lord. As such, pouring the water and fasting are connected to that.

Both water and food are necessary to sustain oneself. And so, one might say, “I have laid my very existence before You. It is an existence that, like water, will disappear in the dust of the earth without Your intervention. And as a man without food, I will perish. I have sinned against you, and I acknowledge that.”

^{6 (con’t)}And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

vaayishpot sh_emuel eth b_ene Yisrael ba’mitspah – “And he judged, Samuel, sons Israel in the Mizpah.” The verb is imperfect. Therefore, it doesn’t mean he became a judge at this time. Nor does it mean that he judged Israel at this time or only at this time.

Rather, as will be seen in verse 15, where the verb is imperfect, it means that Samuel conducted his judging at the Mizpah. This is supplemented by his judging at Bethel and Gilgal, as to be noted in verse 16. He called the assembly there, and from that time on, it became a place where he judged the people.

⁷Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah,

The word “when” gives a false sense of the intent: vayishm_eu ph_elishtim ki hitqab_etsu v_ene Yisrael ha’mitspatah – “And they heard, Philistines, for they gathered themselves, sons Israel the Mizpah-ward.” The words are a statement of fact. The Philistines heard that Israel had gathered.

At this time, Israel was under the authority of the Philistines. Therefore, it is likely that they assumed the gathering was for the purpose of revolting against Philistine rule. If for this or some other reason, the gathering of the people elicited a response…

^{7 (con’t)}the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel.

vayaalu sarne ph_elishtim el Yisrael – “And they ascended, axles Philistines, unto Israel.” This doesn’t mean only the leaders of the Philistines. It means that they mustered the people under them as a fighting force, joining with the other leaders and those they mustered. Because of the sizable force set to wage war…

^{7 (con’t)}And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

vayishm_eu b_ene Yisrael vayiru mip_ene ph_elishtim – “And they heard, sons Israel, and they feared from faces Philistines.” The people had not come prepared for battle. They were called by Samuel for a public assembly. This doesn’t mean they weren’t armed, as will be seen in verse 10. However, it was not something they expected when they were called to gather.

Even if their intent was to fight the Philistines, seeing that all five of their enclaves were coming would mean they had a sizeable force to engage. Therefore, the people were afraid.

⁸So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us,

vayom_eru v_ene Yisrael el sh_emuel al takharesh mimenu miz_eoq el Y_ehovah elohenu – “And they said, sons Israel unto Samuel, ‘Not may you cause to be silent from us from shrieking unto Yehovah our God.” The NKJV is a suitable paraphrase. They want Samuel to purposefully and continuously call out to the Lord on their behalf. If they have to engage in battle, they desire his constant intercession.

This is a much different attitude than the time they faced the Philistines in Chapter 4, where the people treated the ark as a talisman for victory. The ark is not in sight. Rather, they are trusting that the Lord will respond because of Samuel’s petition, regardless of its location…

^{8 (con’t)}that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

v_eyoshienu miyad p_elishtim – “And He will cause to save us from hand Philistines.” In verse 3, Samuel told the people to put away the hindrances to serving the Lord, erect their heart toward Him, and serve Him only. In doing this, Samuel said, “And may He cause to snatch away, you, from hand Philistines.”

As noted then, it wasn’t a claim that He would save them from their hands. Being a jussive, it was a petition stated in a softened, authoritative manner. Because of that, the people have asked Samuel to cry out to the Lord for a hopeful response to his previous words. To begin that process, it next says…

⁹And Samuel took a suckling lamb

vayiqakh sh_emuel t_eleh khalav ekhad – “And he took, Samuel, lamb – milk, one.” A particular lamb, taleh, is introduced here. It will only be seen again in Isaiah 65:25, where it says that the wolf and the lamb shall feed together. It is derived from tala, to patch or cover with pieces. The idea is probably a lamb born with mottled colors.

This root occurs eight times. Six are in the account of Jacob having spotted animals which are contrasted to Laban’s flocks. Once it is seen in Joshua 9 concerning patched sandals which made those who wore them look like they had traveled a long time, when in fact they were from just down the road.

The last use is in Ezekiel 16, where the people took their fine garments given to them by the Lord and mottled them on high places, playing the harlot with other gods. What appears to be the case, then, is that there is a contrast in the lives of the people as they turned to Him, and Samuel is using this lamb to indicate that to the Lord.

They had foreign gods and the Astaroth, but now they sought only the Lord through contrition and Samuel’s intercession.

Adding the word “milk” signifies it was a young lamb, still drinking its mother’s milk. That would mean a lamb up to about four months old. However, Leviticus says –

“When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall be seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day and thereafter it shall be accepted as an offering made by fire to the Lord.” Leviticus 22:27

Having procured this young lamb, it next says…

^{9 (con’t)}and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord.

vayaaleh olah kalil l_eY_ehovah – “And he caused to ascend burnt offering, whole, to Yehovah.” Samuel is not of the priestly line, but he has interceded to the Lord for the people. That is an intercessory function generally conducted by priests.

However, in 1 Kings 8, Solomon prayed to the Lord at the dedication of the temple. This and other such examples appear to indicate that praying in such a manner extended beyond a priestly duty alone.

Samuel is also making an offering to the Lord, something designated for priests to do. However, both Gideon and Manoah were also instructed to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. As such, it appears Samuel, as Israel’s judge, has been given dispensation to do so as well.

It is possible, but otherwise unstated, that he directed a priest to perform the offering, something that would still be credited to him. Regardless of that, it next says…

^{9 (con’t)}Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel,

vayizaq sh_emuel el Y_ehovah b_ead Yisrael – “And he shrieked, Samuel, unto Yehovah for Israel.” With the offering made, Samuel then complied with the request of the people from verse 8, where they petitioned him to continuously cry out to the Lord for them. Having cried out, it next says…

*^{9 (fin)}and the Lord answered him.

vayaanehu Y_ehovah – “And He answered him, Yehovah.” The people’s actions mingled with the acknowledgment of their sins, combined with Samuel’s offering and shrieks to the Lord, have brought the Lord’s attention and response to the situation.

This is where we will end the verses today, anticipating interesting things as the narrative continues. If you have been considering what has been explained and the meanings of various things in relation to the Lord and future events, you may have an idea of what the narrative is pointing to.

If not, consider it until next week, and the Lord willing, we’ll find a resolution concerning everything as the Lord has laid it out in His word.

Remember that these stories are in here for a reason that extends beyond just a literal historical account of Israel’s history and their interactions with the Lord. Jesus, Paul, and the other New Testament authors said as much.

Through His word, God is providing information for us to consider, understand His will and actions, and for us to act upon at times as well. When you read the Bible, you are mentally interacting with God through His word.

Therefore, take advantage of this wonderful tool of instruction each day. You will be renewed, and God will certainly be pleased with you. May it guide your steps and comfort your souls always.

Paul, in our closing verse, will give us instruction concerning our lives as we walk before the Lord. The way that we will be able to comply with what he says is by reading and heeding the word.

Closing Verse: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2

Next Week: 1 Samuel 7:10-17 With the Lord, it will go well, it is true… (The Stone of the Helper, Part II) (14^th 1 Samuel Sermon)

1 Samuel 7:1-9 (CG)

¹And they came, men Kirjath Jearim, and they caused to ascend Ark Yehovah. And they caused to bring it unto house Abinadab in the hill. And Eleazar, his son, they will consecrate to guard Ark Yehovah.

²And it was from day dwelling the ark in Kirjath Jearim, and they increased the days. And they were twenty years. And they were groaned, all house Israel, after Yehovah.’’

———————
The main narrative resumes from 1 Samuel 4:1

³And he said, Samuel, unto all house Israel, to say, “If in all your heart you returning unto Yehovah, you must cause to turn aside gods the foreign from your midst, and the Ashtaroth. And you must cause to erect your heart unto Yehovah. And you must serve Him to His separation. And may He cause to snatch away, you, from hand Philistines.” ⁴And they caused to turn aside, sons Israel, the Baals and the Ashtaroth. And they served Yehovah to His separation.

⁵And he said, Samuel, “You must gather all Israel the Mizpah-ward, and I will intercede myself for you unto Yehovah.” ⁶And they were gathered the Mizpah-ward, and they drew waters, and they poured to faces Yehovah, and they fasted in the day, the it. And they said there, “We have sinned to Yehovah.” And he judged, Samuel, sons Israel in the Mizpah.

⁷And they heard, Philistines, for they gathered themselves, sons Israel the Mizpah-ward. And they ascended, axles Philistines, unto Israel. And they heard, sons Israel, and they feared from faces Philistines. ⁸And they said, sons Israel unto Samuel, “Not may you cause to be silent from us from shrieking unto Yehovah our God. And He will cause to save us from hand Philistines.”

⁹And he took, Samuel, lamb – milk, one. And he caused to ascend burnt offering, whole, to Yehovah. And he shrieked, Samuel, unto Yehovah for Israel. And He answered him, Yehovah.

1 Samuel 7:1-9 (NKJV)

¹Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

²So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

³Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

⁵And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” ⁶So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. ⁸So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

⁹And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.

1 Samuel 6:13-21 (The Return of the Ark, Part II)

Charlie Garrett 1 Samuel (Written), Recent Sermons (Written) Sunday, September 7th, 2025Sunday, September 7th, 2025

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 6:13-21
The Return of the Ark, Part II

(Typed 16 June 2025) There are not many verses to go over today, just eight. And yet, several of the verses are so odd in their terminology that even the best scholars say things like, “The Hebrew text here is hopelessly corrupt” (Ellicott).

You can expect this from the yahoos at Cambridge, but to find that most commentaries agree with the sentiment is a little disheartening.

But take heart! There is nothing wrong with them. Despite being complicated, in understanding why God says things a certain way, we will find that there is no corruption. The words flow smoothly, make very specific points, and beg us to consider why the wording is as it is.

Text Verse: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

When someone says that the words of a verse must be in error, that should make us slow down and ask why that would be the case. If something is so obscure that it doesn’t make sense, I figure it was supposed to be that way.

For example, from time to time, I will purposefully mispell words for effect. I will also intentionally misapplicate a term or a phrase to get you to stop and wonder why I said what I said.

Sometimes, I will go the whole ten yards in such a manner because I have something at the end of the comment to direct you to. If we look at obscurities in the Bible from this perspective, attempting to align them with something God is showing us from elsewhere in Scripture, we may find that He is working to peak our interest to figure out what He is pointing us to.

So, when God punts the ball to you in this way, have your glove ready and shoot for the basket! You might score a goal.

Really interesting stuff is to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Mourning the Whopping (verses 13-18)

¹³Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

u-veith shemesh qots_erim q_etsir khitim ba’emeq vayisu eth enehem vayiru eth ha’aron vayishm_ekhu liroth – “And Beth Shemesh reaping harvest wheat in the valley. And they lifted their eyes, and they saw the ark. And they brightened up to see.” Beth Shemesh, House of the Sun, is located within the border of Judah. It was designated as a priestly city in Joshua 21:16.

The type of valley, the emeq, comes from amoq, depth. Figuratively, it means to be profound, such as in deep thoughts. It would be a long, broad, deep valley where grain fills the area.

The time of the wheat harvest in Israel is in late spring and early summer, around the time of Pentecost. Specifically, it is in May and June. Backdating this, it means that the battle in which the ark was taken would have been around October or November.

Wheat is considered the finest of the grains in the Bible. Jesus used wheat to represent Himself in John 12:24, where He metaphorically says, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”

While the people were in the fields reaping, they looked up and saw the cart with the cows pulling it and the ark on top of it.

It would have been an amazing sight. Because of it, the narrative notes that their eyes brightened. Today, we might say their eyes popped out in surprise. They watched the ark until…

¹⁴Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there;

v_eha’agalah baah el s_edeh y_ehoshua beith hashimshi vataamod sham – “And the cart, it came unto field Joshua – Beith the Shemesh. And it stood there.” All the details about the ark’s return are purposeful. It came to Beth Shemesh and then to a particular field (sadeh), the field of Joshua, Yehovah is Salvation. Please note that in the Bible, only here and in verse 18, is the location called beith ha’shmimshi, House the Shemesh, or House the Sun. Both times, it is preceded by “field Joshua.” Upon arriving at this particular spot, it came to a halt and stood…

^{14 (con’t)}a large stone was there.

v_esham even g_edolah – “And there stone, whopping.” The fact is stated for us to consider. The Lord is essentially instructing the people by directing the cows to stop right by this whopping stone. And they immediately understood what they were to do…

^{14 (con’t)}So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.

vayvaq_eu eth anshe ha’agalah v_eeth haparoth heelu olah l_eY_ehovah – “And they cleaved woods the cart. And the cows, they caused to ascend burnt offering to Yehovah.” The Lord purposefully stopped the ark at this stone. The people of Beth Shemesh, therefore, deduced that He intended for them to offer the cows on it in gratitude for the ark’s return. Therefore, this is what they did.

The cart (agalah) and the cows (parah) were used for the burnt offering at the stone (even) of Joshua (Yehovah is Salvation). Each thing is part of a story being conveyed.

¹⁵The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it,

v_ehalviyim horidu eth aron Y_ehovah v_eeth ha’argaz asher ito – “And the Levites caused to descend Ark Yehovah and the pannier which with it.” The people understood that the care of the ark was the responsibility of the Levites. As Beth Shemesh was designated as a priestly city, these would have been priests. Despite that, they are given the broader term Levites because of their tribal affiliation.

This task was given to them, and so it was they who took the ark and the pannier off the cart. Levi means Attached. It was the pannier…

^{15 (con’t)}in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone.

asher bo kh_ele zahav vayasimu el ha’even ha’g_edolah – “which in it articles gold, and they put unto the stone, the whopping.” The articles were placed on the stone. They were the acknowledgment from the Philistines of their guilt before the Lord. Once the site was prepared…

^{15 (con’t)}Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to the Lord.

v_eanshe beith shemesh heelu oloth vayizb_ekhu z_evakhim bayom ha’hu l_eY_ehovah – “And men Beth Shemesh caused to ascend burnt offerings, and they sacrificed sacrifices in the day, the that, to Yehovah.” These offerings would be separate from the cows that were burnt for the guilt of the Philistines. The people would have brought their own animals to sacrifice and burn before the Lord.

¹⁶So when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

I put an opening parenthesis here which will be explained later: vakhamishah sarne ph_elishtim rau vayashuvu eqron bayom ha’hu – “(And five axles Philistines, they saw, and they returned – Ekron, in the day, the it.” These five leaders took the time to watch the events unfold. This allowed them to give a full report to their people, assuring them that the offering had been accepted by Israel and then offered to the Lord through the burnt offering.

This assured them that what had come upon them was a result of Israel’s unfaithfulness, that they had no right to it, and that giving it back to Israel was the proper course of action.

Ekron comes from aqar, to pluck up or uproot. But that is from the same as eqer, an offshoot or descendant. Hence, the name could mean either Offshoot or Uprooted.

¹⁷These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned as a trespass offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;

v_eeleh t_ekhore ha’zahav asher heshivu ph_elishtim asham l_eY_ehovah l_eashdod ekhad l_eazah ekhad l_eashqelon ekhad l_egath ekhad l_eeqron ekhad – “And these, boils the gold, which they caused to return, the Philistines – guilt – to Yehovah. To Ashdod, one. To Gaza, one. To Ashkelon, one. To Gath, one. To Ekron, one.” The listing is provided to show that all five major cities acknowledged their guilt before the Lord. They are returning their guilt in the form of images of their boils.

This is the second and last use of the word tekhor, boil. It was used in verse 11 and now here.

Ashdod means Fire of Beloved. Gaza (Azah) is a feminine form coming from az, strong. It signifies Strong or Strong Place. The change from Azah to Gaza is because of the pronunciation of the letter ayin at the beginning of the name. It has a strong sound towards the back of the throat.

From there, the Greek translates this hard ayin with the letter gamma in an attempt to closely reproduce the sound. With the g sound introduced, it has carried forward into our modern English name, Gaza.

Ashkelon comes from shaqal, to weigh, as in weighing money. The -on (vav-nun) at the end localizes it. Hence, it is Weighing Place or Market. Gath means Winepress.

¹⁸and the golden rats, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines

veakhb_ere ha’zahav mispar kal are ph_elishtim – “And mice, the golden, number all cities Philistines.” These were the five golden mice suggested by the diviners in verse 6:4. They, along with the five golden buboes, which are images of the boils, were placed in the pannier when the cart was readied to be returned. These five rats were…

^{18 (con’t)}belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and country villages,

The NKJV jumbles the clauses a bit: lakhameshet ha’s_eranim meir mivtsar v_ead kopher hap_erazi – “To the five, the axles, from city fortification, and until village, the rustic.” The listing of types of cities and the word “all” in the previous clause causes confusion. Keil, in an attempt to eliminate this, says –

“The priests had only proposed that five golden mice should be sent as compensation, as well as five boils (1 Samuel 6:4). But the Philistines offered as many images of mice as there were towns and villages in their five states, no doubt because the plague of mice had spread over the whole land, whereas the plague of boils had only fallen upon the inhabitants of those towns to which the ark of the covenant had come. In this way the apparent discrepancy between 1 Samuel 6:4 and 1 Samuel 6:18 is very simply removed.” Keil

There is no reason to assume this. The five mice represent the entire Philistine enclave. The reason for the additional words is to signify exactly that. It is saying that the offering was to cover everything within their borders, from large city to unwalled village. From there…

^{18 (con’t)}even as far as the large stone of Abel

v_ead avel ha’g_edolah – “and until Mourning the Whopping.” The words “and until” signify the scope of the atonement. All of the cities were listed, but there is a time reference conjoined to the locational reference. Both are included in the words “and until.” Keil, however, says –

“But ועד (even unto) is quite unsuitable here, as no further local definition is required after the foregoing הפּרי כּפר ועד [v_ead kopher ha’p_erazi], and it is impossible to suppose that the Philistines offered a golden mouse as a trespass-offering for the great stone upon which the ark was placed. We must therefore alter ועד [v_ead: and until] into ועד [v_eed: and witness]: ‘And the great stone is witness (for ועד in this sense, see Genesis 31:52) to this day in the field of Joshua the Bethshemeshite,’ sc., of the fact just described.”

He is saying that it should read that the stone is a witness rather than a location. It is true that this is a possible translation, making it an explanation. Here is the difference:

To the five, the axles, from city fortification, and until village, the rustic, and until Mourning the Whopping, which they caused to deposit upon her Ark Yehovah until the day, the this, in field Joshua – Beth Shemesh (as a location).

To the five, the axles, from city fortification, and until village, the rustic. And witness: Mourning, the whopping, which they caused to deposit upon her Ark Yehovah until the day, the this, in field Joshua – Beth Shemesh (As a witness).

Keil’s explanation would be ingenious if it referred to a witness for the return of the ark from the Philistines rather than the extent of the atonement for the land of the Philistines. However, the boundary was already defined by the Philistines in verse 9 –

“And you will see: If road its boundary will ascend – Beit Shemesh – He! He did to us the evil, the whopping, the this. And if not, and we will know, for not His hand it touched in us. Mishap, it, it became to us.” V. 6:9

Therefore, it is certainly referring to both the location and the timing of the event. The cows with the ark stopped at the whopping stone in the field of Joshua, thus ending the control of the ark by the Philistines both locationally and in time.

As for the final designation, “Mourning, the Whopping,” that is my translation and is at odds with all other translations, but it is correct. To understand the various translational differences, an explanation is needed.

The word is avel. It can mean one of several things due to the plastic nature of the word, as you will see below. First, however, some think it is a misspelling of even, the stone where the cows stopped, as some translations make it. That is always a convenient explanation –

אבן – even
אבל – avel

The NKJV leaves the idea of the stone alone but calls the stone Abel, making it a name. The reason for this is in the next clause, where it says it is the stone where the ark was placed. They are actually correct, but the translation doesn’t resolve anything for the reader because they punted and transliterated the word from avel to Abel.

The word avel may signify a meadow. Such a root signifies to be grassy, and thus a meadow as in Judges 11:33. It also may be the same as avel, seen in Genesis 50:11. If so, it means mourning. The HAW Theological Wordbook identifies it from another root as meaning Stream or Brook.

The answer to why this is Mourning the Whopping is so simple it’s hard to figure why translations don’t identify it as such. The next verse will provide the resolution. For now…

^{18 (con’t)}on which they set the ark of the Lord, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

A closing parenthesis goes here. Also, the NKJV inserts a great deal not in the text, but it does help clarify what is going on: asher hinikhu aleha eth aron Y_ehovah ad hayom hazeh bisdeh yehoshua beith ha’shimshi – “which they caused to deposit upon her Ark Yehovah until the day, the this, in field Joshua – Beth the Shemesh.)”

This means the stone is called avel (Mourning). It is at the border of the land of the Philistines. Thus, the guilt offering covers the entire Philistine enclave, even to the point where the ark was returned to Israel at this location. But why is the stone called mourning? That is seen in the next verse…

Serving the law is a trap that leads to death
As surely as addiction will kill you
It is like being stuck on crystal meth
In the end comes your just due

God has done it all through Jesus Christ0
Observing the law will only offend
Through His shed blood alone, has sin been priced
Anything else will lead to a bad end

“The gospel is too simple, too easy,” you say
“I have to earn my way apart from Christ!”
It won’t happen, friend, no how, no way
Through Jesus alone is your soul to be priced

I. Wound Whopping (verses 19-21)

¹⁹Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord.

vayakh b_eanshe beith shemesh ki rau baaron Y_ehovah – “And He caused to strike in men Beth Shemesh, for they looked in Ark Yehovah.” The context tells us the words are referring to the Lord, but the last direct reference to Him (not the ark) was in verse 15, where the men of Beth Shemesh made sacrifices to Him.

This then shows that Keil’s change of “and until” to “and witness” is not correct. The reference was to both the “territory of” as well as “the time with” the ark in relation to the Philistines. The narrative continues with what occurred after the sacrifice to Him.

Of the reason why the people died, Keil says that combining the word “look” with “in” “means to look upon or at a thing with lust or malicious pleasure; and here it no doubt signifies a foolish staring.”

Cambridge says, “The priests of Beth-shemesh must have known that even the Levites were forbidden to look upon the furniture of the Holy of Holies upon pain of death (Numbers 4:19-20), but instead of hastening to cover it with befitting reverence, they left it exposed to the public gaze.”

These and other such references are incorrect. The text says they looked “in” the ark, not “at” the ark. And the word “look” with “in” does not mean “with lust or malicious pleasure.” It means to look in. Nothing else.

What they did comprised the greatest offense that the people could commit and justifies the calamity they brought upon themselves. The tablets of the law were inside the ark. They were written by the finger of God as a summary of the Law of Moses.

These were placed inside the ark, secreted away. It reveals the absolute holiness of the law before God. In essence, “This is My standard. It is what is expected at all times. But I know that you cannot meet it. Therefore, I am placing these in My ark. Each year, atonement will be made for the infractions you commit. The blood of the atonement, which is sprinkled on the mercy seat, will be the covering for your sins in My eyes.”

The meaning is that if the blood of atonement (the covering) is not seen by the Lord, there is no atonement, no covering for their imperfection in relation to the perfection expected in the presence of God. By lifting the mercy seat, they had symbolically removed God’s mercy from that which witnesses to their failings. There could be only one penalty for such blasphemy. The thought is exactingly expressed in the words of the first Passover –

“Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13

With no covering of blood, death is to be expected, therefore…

^{19 (con’t)}He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people,

vayakh baam shivim ish khamishim eleph ish – “And He caused to strike in the people seventy man fifty thousand man.” There is a wide variety of change in these numbers depending on the source text. There are also innumerable explanations as to what the meaning is.

One possibility says that seventy men died and fifty cattle died. The reason is that the word eleph, thousand, is the same as the word for herd or oxen. This is suggested because it is thought impossible that fifty thousand in one city could be struck.

However, it doesn’t say that. It says first that He caused to strike in men Beth Shemesh. It next says He caused to strike in the people, which is then stated as seventy man fifty thousand man. That could mean seventy people who looked in the ark and fifty thousand of Israel in general, regardless of location.

The point is that two sets of numbers, regardless of the details, have been provided. It is these numbers, seventy and fifty thousand, that are the focus of the narrative.

Seventy or “…7 x 10 signifies perfect spiritual order carried out with all spiritual power and significance. Both spirit and order are greatly emphasized” (Bullinger).

Fifty thousand is the product of fifty and tens. Fifty “is the number of jubilee or deliverance. It is the issue of 7 x 7 (7²), and points to deliverance and rest following on as the result of the perfect consummation of time” (Bullinger).

Of the number ten, Bullinger says, “Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.”

Of this terrible but self-inflicted disaster…

^{19 (con’t)}and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.

The words explain the meaning of the name of the stone: vayitav_elu ha’am ki hikah Y_ehovah baam makah g_edolah – “And they mourned themselves, the people, for He caused to strike, Yehovah, in the people – wound whopping.” The word aval, to mourn, is used. One can see the connection to the word used in verse 18 –

אבל – evel/avel: Mourning
אבל – aval: to mourn

The event is what gave the name. The naming of the stone preceded the reason for its naming. This has already been seen in 1 Samuel with the stone Eben the Ezer. It is a common occurrence in Scripture. The parentheses, when rightly placed, explain the matter. Despite this, Lange and Keil object –

“Kimchi’s explanation of אָבֵל as the name [the Heb. word means “mourning”] given to the stone on account of the mourning made there (1 Samuel 6:19) is a fanciful expedient, which has also no support in the context, since nothing is afterwards said of a mourning at this stone.” Lange

“The conjecture of Kimchi, that this stone was called Abel (luctus), on account of the mourning which took place there (see 1 Samuel 6:19), is extremely unnatural. Consequently there is no other course left than to regard אבל as an error in writing for אבן, according to the reading, or at all events the rendering, adopted by the lxx and Targum.” Keil

Keil decides to change the word of God to suit his analysis. Lange’s note that “nothing is afterwards said of a mourning at this stone” disregards the entire premise for the naming of the stone, something that occurs hundreds of times in Scripture.

An event takes place, and from it, a person or place is given a name. This is at least the fourth time we have seen this occur so far in 1 Samuel: Samuel, Ebenezer, Ichabod, and now Mourning. Several other likely instances have also been explained.

The people realized that what they did caused the Lord to strike them. The place was named based on the event, but the lesson they learned brought them to understand the nature of Yehovah…

²⁰And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?

vayom_eru anshe veith shemesh mi yukhal laamod liphne Y_ehovah ha’elohim ha’qadosh hazeh – “And they said, men Beth Shemesh, ‘Who he will to stand to faces Yehovah, the God, the holy, the this?’” The people thought they would look into the ark and see the tablets placed there so long before by Moses. It would be a great story to tell the grandkids someday.

However, by uncovering them, they removed the only barrier between them and the absolute holiness of God as revealed in those two tablets. What He had done in writing them was an extension of His very being –

“Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. ³⁰So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. ³²Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. ³³And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. ³⁴But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. ³⁵And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.” Exodus 34:29-35

Israel is being schooled through their interactions with the Lord in relation to the Law of Moses. Each thing recorded in the Bible from their history was intended to teach them about who He is, their nature in relation to Him, and to point them to their need for Christ.

Instead, rabbinic commentaries obscure the intent, hide the truth of what is happening, exalt the people as if they are special and have acceptable access to God, and they diminish His glory in the process. The word, however, is telling them otherwise…

^{20 (con’t)}And to whom shall it go up from us?”

v_eel mi yaaleh mealenu – “And unto who it will ascend from upon us?” Like the Philistines, the people of Beth Shemesh know that they cannot stand before God and His holiness, and so they ask where the ark can be taken so that it is no longer among them…

²¹So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim,

vayishl_ekhu malakhim el yosh_eve qiryath y_earim – “And they sent messengers unto ‘inhabiting Kiriath Jearim.’” It doesn’t say why they chose Kiriath Jearim instead of sending it back to Shiloh, but what matters is what the text says. Kirjath Jearim means City of Forests or City of Honeycombs.

*^{21 (fin)}saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up with you.”

lemor heshivu ph_elishtim eth aron Yehovah r_edu haalu otho alekhem – “to say, ‘They caused to return, Philistines, Ark Yehovah. You must descend, and you must cause to ascend it unto you.’” Without any further explanation, the chapter ends with these words.

The ark is at Beth Shemesh. They have had calamity heaped upon them because of what they did, and they want the ark moved. Therefore, the appeal is made that it be taken from them in the lowland to a place of higher elevation.

The number is set at two
They form a whole. My word, it contains
No other number will do
But in these two, is the severing of your chains

They provide what you need
To find and be granted eternal life
So study up, and do it with speed
In them is found the ending of strife

It is not one, five, seven, or three
No, the testaments are numbered at just two
In them are words to make you free
Just these two suffice. Nothing else will do

III. Christ in the Contents

The account is a logical step that follows the previous passages. Chapter 4 referred to the time when Christ came, fulfilled the law, and ended the Aaronic priesthood, symbolized by the death of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas.

The state of Israel at that time was declared to be Inglorious. The land was denuded of its glory when the ark was taken by the Philistines. It appeared that the Weakeners had prevailed. However, Chapter 5 showed that they were plagued because they possessed the Ark.

That chapter was set forth as a proposition. In essence, “What would be the case if the Weakeners possessed Jesus?” It shows that it could not be. Thus, a plan was devised to return the ark to Israel. The period of time it was with them was seven months.

Seven is the number of spiritual perfection, completeness, and divine completion. It represents the Holy Spirit’s work, the culmination of God’s plans. It is a sign of divine worship and obedience.

Typologically, this is the time between Christ’s death and resurrection. With the proposition of what it would be like if the Weakeners retained the ark, the account brings the ark back to Israel with the acknowledgment of what occurred to them.

They were instructed to not return it emptily, meaning without acknowledging they had no right to it and that it was the Lord who caused their woes. Thus, they were to return their guilt to the Lord. Only in doing this would they be healed. As such, they were told to send back images of their buboes and of the rats from each of the axles, meaning leaders.

The buboes and rats signify uncleanness under the law. The same word concerning the buboes, ophalim, was used in the written Hebrew of Deuteronomy as designated by Moses –

“The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.” Deuteronomy 28:27

The mice are noted in Leviticus –

“These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind.” Leviticus 11:29

The akbar, mouse, is derived from the same word as spider, akkavish. The word gives the sense of entangling, just as a mouse weaves together its nest. This is the type of person who is spoken of by both Paul in Galatians 5:1, 2–

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. ²Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.”

The mouse is the person who weaves the law into the grace of Christ, and thus rejects Him. This is exactly what the Weakeners would do. They are acknowledging this by returning the ark along with the images of their guilt. In admitting such fault, it said in verse 5, “And you will give to God Israel glory.”

This means that they are taking the weight of their supposed deeds and giving God the weight (glory) He is due, something exactingly described in verse 6, “And why you will enweigh your heart according to which they enweighed, Egypt and Pharaoh, their heart?”

Next, verse 7, says “you must take and you must make cart new, one.” The peculiar and specific wording points to the Bible. The cart, agalah, comes from agol, circle or round. Thus, it is a turning. This is something seen in a previous Genesis sermon. The Bible is like a wheel. It is that which revolves from the beginning to the end, bringing about that which has been.

The thought of “From paradise to paradise” gets the point across. It starts there, and it ends there. The revolution is what gets one back to where things began. There is one cart, the number of unity and primacy. It means there is no second.

And yet, it is then given two milking cows. Two is the number of division. There is a contrast and yet a confirmation of a whole. The cow, parah, is derived from parar. The root signifies to break, annul, etc. In this case, the two cows signify the two testaments as evidenced by the term milking. The two testaments are what provide the milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2) to God’s people.

The Bible (the cart) is hitched to the milking cows. Thus, it is a single unit. The purpose of the Bible with two testaments is to break man’s fallen state under the authority of the devil.

However! There were those gender discords concerning the cows, where they were spoken of in the masculine. There is one word of God, a masculine noun in both Hebrew and Greek, even if there are two testaments. The female testaments comprise a single masculine unit that has never been yoked.

With the inclusion of the New Testament, there is a new, single cart. The word was incomplete without it. The idea of something new being offered to God is repeatedly seen. An animal that was worked was not suitable to offer to God. Jesus sat on a donkey that had never been ridden, He was laid in a tomb that had never been used, etc.

An unyoked cow is an animal that has never been worked. The symbolism of this was exactingly described in the passage concerning the Red Heifer. The idea of a yoke on an animal is subjection. On a person, it conveys the idea of degradation.

The thought looks to Christ, who, though born under the yoke of the law, was born sinless under it. In other words, the law is a yoke because of sin. For one who is sinless and who remains sinless, there is no yoke of bondage; there is no subjugation to sin. This is why Jesus said to the people –

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

In addition to His state under the law, not being yoked is also explained in Christ’s voluntary service before the Lord. As a yoke implies bondage and forced labor, an animal that has never been yoked has lived free from such constraints. Such was true with Christ, as the author of Hebrews explains –

Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), ⁹then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ¹⁰By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:8-10

Christ voluntarily came to do God’s will, and He voluntarily placed Himself under the law. His sacrifice replaced these very sacrifices which are mentioned under the law, because His covenant replaced the covenant through which they came. What could never actually bring God pleasure is replaced by that which pleased God the most.

Verse 8 had the interesting expression, “And you will take Ark Yehovah and you will give it unto the cart.” It perfectly described Jesus, the fulfillment of the ark typology. He is placed in the Word of God because He is the Word of God.

Understanding this, the test was to separate the cows’ sons from them, put the guilt (the images) in the pannier, and see if it would ascend its boundary to Beth Shemesh, House of the Sun. It is a reference to the work of Jesus, as described in Malachi 4.

In that sermon, it said, “Christ’s coming is equated to a Righteousness Sun that shone over Israel. The people could not meet the demands of the law, but He could and did. His work fulfilled all righteousness (the extremities of the Righteousness Sun) for the people, thus healing them from the infection of sin that separated them from God.”

That is just what is asked for by the Philistines when they returned the ark. When the cows were let go, they ignored their primal instincts and headed straight for Beth Shemesh. It is precisely what the Bible asks us to do. We are to go to what Christ did, not what we might do, as the cure for our sin.

Verse 13 referred to the time of year, the wheat harvest. Pentecost occurs at the time of the wheat harvest, but this does not specifically refer to that. Rather, the wheat harvest follows the barley.

Barley (seorah), for reference, comes from sear, hair. It is the crop of hairy ears. Hair signifies awareness, particularly an awareness of sin. It is the time of the law. The wheat harvest follows that, and thus represents the time of grace. First, Christ fulfills the law, and then comes grace. Jesus metaphorically used wheat to refer to Himself in John 12 –

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” John 12:24

Beth Shemesh is provided here as evidence of the completed work of Christ. In Malachi, it focused on the righteousness aspect of the sun, not the sun itself. The righteousness defines the sun. More exactly, righteousness itself is equated to a sun.

To understand this, think of the song “Peace Train” by Cat Stevens. He equates peace to a train that ran throughout the land. The completion of Christ’s work is a Righteousness Sun rising over the people who fear the name of the Lord.

The symbolism is not only the acknowledgment of Christ’s death, which any Judaizer will avow, but of His resurrection. It proves He is God and that He has fulfilled and annulled the law. That is why the cows came unto “field Joshua – House THE Sun.”

As seen elsewhere, the field is typologically given as a reference to the world. Joshua, the Lord is Salvation, anticipates Jesus, the Lord (Yehovah) who is Salvation (Yeshua). Remembering that the term, House the Sun is seen only these two times in the Bible, and that it is only stated after the name of Joshua, it is telling us that only through Jesus (Yehovah incarnate) is salvation to be found.

Everything in the thought pictures Jesus, what He has done, or how it applies to His people: the field of Joshua, the whopping stone, the ark, the cart, the cows, the atonement, all of it.

The offering to the Lord is a way of saying, “Everything is complete in Christ. It is all offered to You.” Specifically noting that the articles of gold were placed on the stone and that the things sent from the Philistines were made into this offering is saying that if they give up their law observance, the plague (the guilt) would be removed from them. Their atonement cannot come from themselves, but only from Christ.

Seeing this, it says the Philistine leaders returned to Ekron that same day. The meaning is Uprooted (aqar). It is a double entendre. Those who remain under law observance will be uprooted, but those who acknowledge Christ alone for salvation will have their sins uprooted. They will be the offshoot (eqer) of their response to the law or the Lord.

The listing of the five cities is a typological hint that there is grace upon any and all of the Philistines if they come to Christ and give up on law observance. We are being provided an object lesson in what is on God’s mind concerning this most important subject

Verse 18 introduced the stone Mourning the Whopping. It was given in anticipation of what would occur. What is being conveyed is that the ark, Jesus, was resurrected and presented to Israel. The Weakeners, meaning those who try to weaken the faith of others by mandating law observance and telling them what they need to do to be right with God, have been dealt with. Thus, the closing of the parenthesis.

However, the people of Israel, symbolized by the people of Beth Shemesh who had been presented the Ark (Christ), ignored His work on their behalf. It is reflected in the two sets of numbers which describe the people being struck, seventy and fifty. The numbers were previously explained.

They point to the period of time when Israel would suffer the punishment of “looking at the law” without the atoning blood of Christ.

In other words, Israel rejected the lesson of the Weakeners just provided, assumed that they were acceptable to God through the Law of Moses, and rejected the atonement that only Jesus could provide. This is typologically represented in the ark and its Leviticus 16 Day of Atonement rites.

If His atonement is removed from the Law, only death will result. This will continue until Israel comes to God through Him. That is seen in the messengers being sent to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, City of Forests or City of Honeycombs. As seen in previous sermons, Abarim says –

“The verb יער (ya’ar) isn’t used in the Bible and it’s a complete mystery what it might have meant. Noun יער (ya’ar) is the common word for forest or thicket, and the identical noun יער (ya’ar) means honeycomb. It is, of course, perfectly possible that these two nouns are not two but one, describing something general like a thing that consists of many elements, which contain energetic nutrients (either fruits or honey) …” Abarim

Therefore, this is an explanation of the church, a group derived from many people, each filled with individual fruit of the Spirit. This is supportable by the comparison of Israel to a forest in Micah 7:14 –

“Tend Thy people with Thy staff, the flock of Thy heritage, That dwell solitarily, as a forest [ya’ar] in the midst of the fruitful field; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old” (JPS Tanakh).

In other words, the Ark, Jesus, is being offered to the church during this dispensation. The account of the Philistines having the ark and returning it to Israel has been provided to show the choices that people might make in regard to Jesus, law observance, and cleansing from sin because of the latter.

It has also been given to show the effects of the work of Christ in relation to Israel at this time. Along with that, other lessons have been carefully highlighted. The truth that there is one source from God concerning His word (cart new, one) is seen. It is the number of unity and primacy. The number excludes all difference.

Thus, the Koran is proven false. The Bhagavad Gita is proven false. And so forth. But the fact that there are two, and only two, testaments (the cows hitched to the cart) within the Bible is also seen. The apocrypha is excluded. The Book of Mormon is to be rejected. The Talmud is also heresy. None of these are sanctioned by God as His word.

In this account, the Philistines (Judaizers, Hebrew Roots, Sabbatarians, etc.) are proven wrong, but they can be forgiven if they give up on a claim to Christ’s work. Israel is seen to be in a bad spot without the atonement of Christ.

But the church is clearly set forth in the presentation. The ark (Jesus) has been offered to them. The opening verses of Chapter 7 will show that the offer is accepted.

We are being shown what is on God’s mind. And that what, above all, is a Who. We are being shown how to be right once again with Him through what He has personally done in uniting with humanity in the body of Christ.

Nothing else can restore us to Him because Christ is One and God is One. Christ is God incarnate. He is the only One who can cover our sins so that God can find us acceptable. Without Jesus, our sin covering is removed, and our sin before God is exposed.

Let us learn the lesson provided in this marvelous portion of God’s word. Look to Jesus, trust in Jesus, and hold fast to Jesus alone. Don’t insert yourself or your futile attempt to impress God through law observance. Christ already did that for you. Amen.

Closing Verse: “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” Romans 7:4

Next Week: 1 Samuel 7:1-9 It’s a great story to tell, and we will tell it till its done… (And He Judged, Samuel, Part I) (13^th 1 Samuel Sermon)

1 Samuel 6:13-21 (CG)

¹³And Beth Shemesh reaping harvest wheat in the valley. And they lifted their eyes, and they saw the ark. And they brightened up to see. ¹⁴And the cart, it came unto field Joshua – Beith the Shemesh. And it stood there. And there stone, whopping. And they cleaved woods the cart. And the cows, they caused to ascend burnt offering to Yehovah. ¹⁵And the Levites caused to descend Ark Yehovah and the pannier which with it, which in it articles gold, and they put unto the stone, the whopping. And men Beth Shemesh caused to ascend burnt offerings, and they sacrificed sacrifices in the day, the that, to Yehovah. ¹⁶(And five axles Philistines, they saw, and they returned – Ekron, in the day, the it.

¹⁷And these, boils the gold, which they caused to return, the Philistines – guilt – to Yehovah. To Ashdod, one. To Gaza, one. To Ashkelon, one. To Gath, one. To Ekron, one. ¹⁸And mice, the golden, number all cities Philistines. To the five, the axles, from city fortification, and until village, the rustic, and until Mourning the Whopping, which they caused to deposit upon her Ark Yehovah until the day, the this, in field Joshua – Beth the Shemesh.)

¹⁹And He caused to strike in men Beth Shemesh, for they looked in Ark Yehovah. And He caused to strike in the people seventy man fifty thousand man. And they mourned themselves, the people, for He caused to strike, Yehovah, in the people – wound whopping.

²⁰And they said, men Beth Shemesh, “Who he will to stand to faces Yehovah, the God, the holy, the this? And unto who it will ascend from upon us?” ²¹And they sent messengers unto ‘inhabiting Kiriath Jearim,’ to say, “They caused to return, Philistines, Ark Yehovah. You must descend, and you must cause to ascend it unto you.”

1 Samuel 6:13-21 (NKJV)

¹³Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. ¹⁴Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. ¹⁵The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone. Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to the Lord. ¹⁶So when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned as a trespass offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron; ¹⁸and the golden rats, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and country villages, even as far as the large stone of Abel on which they set the ark of the Lord, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

¹⁹Then 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 mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.

²⁰And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?” ²¹So 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.”

1 Samuel 6:1-12 (The Return of the Ark, Part I)

Charlie Garrett 1 Samuel (Written), Recent Sermons (Written) Sunday, August 31st, 2025Sunday, August 31st, 2025

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 6:1-12
The Return of the Ark, Part I

(Typed 9 June 2025) What is the most important part of your life? What is it that captivates your thoughts and your motivations more than anything else? For some people, it is baseball or other sports. Others may have an addiction that consumes them. Some find their greatest joy to be the Lord.

I hope the latter is the case for each of you, but only you can set the Lord as your chief joy. And even if He is, how easy it is for us to get distracted from Him!

Other things constantly pull at us, which then divert our attention from Him. Among those diversions, problems at work, financial struggles, difficulties with friends or family, and so forth can steal our joy and deprive us of motivation, interfering with our relationship with Him.

There is also something else that can hinder our walk with Him, even if our hearts are totally set on Him…

Text Verse: “Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.” Psalm 123:1

Walking with the Lord means that our life is in tune with Him. I have met many people who are head-over-heels in love with Jesus. They cannot get enough of Him, and they direct their lives and energy toward Him.

Most of us have probably seen or met people like that. But what happens if our lives and the energy that we direct towards Him are inappropriately aligned with what He expects of us?

The only way to avoid that is to know what His word says. Anyone who really wants to exert himself to please the Lord should know what is pleasing to Him.

In the sermon today, the Philistines have a problem. A recommendation is made to solve it, and a plan is enacted. But there is a lingering question as to whether it will work out and resolve their situation.

By observing a couple of milk cows, they will get their answer. But it is the cows that are really the highlight of what is being said. They have inner impulses working to redirect them, urging them to veer from the path, turn around, and so forth.

And yet, they keep pressing forward because the call upon them is stronger than anything else. Despite being cows, we can learn from them. Let us do so.

It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. He Gleaned Himself in Them (verses 1-6)

Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

vay_ehi aron Y_ehovah bis_edeh ph_elishtim shivah khodashim – “And it was, Ark Yehovah, in field Philistines seven months.” The term “field” was used in Ruth 1:2 when referring to Moab. It is a term often used with reference to a foreign country, not where the narrator is. This shows that Canaan is the place from which the author is writing. He is including us in the narrative as he writes. In typology, the field represents the world in general.

The timeframe reveals that the plagues didn’t just occur overnight. Rather, they came into effect and increased when the ark came to a particular location. It took a full seven months to confirm that the presence of the ark, based upon its movements to the various cities, caused the plagues.

Seven is the number of spiritual perfection, completeness, and divine completion. It represents the Holy Spirit’s work, the culmination of God’s plans, and it is a sign of divine worship and obedience.

²And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners,

vayiqr_eu ph_elishtim lakohanim v_elaqosemim – “And they called, Philistines, to the priests and to ‘the divinings.’” In this clause, “the Philistines” refers to the leaders (the axles) of the Philistines mentioned in verse 4. The formal national decision to return the ark has been made, but they next consult the religious and spiritual leaders for advice.

The word for priest, kohen, is the same as that used to indicate the priests of Israel. They are the mediators in religious services. The other group is designated by a verb, qasem. That is derived from a primitive root signifying to distribute.

The verb being a plural participle means they are “the divinings.”

As such, they will determine a matter by lot, casting certain objects, consulting the entrails of animals, or some other way.

Their job was to determine the will of their gods, acting as interpreters of matters of the spiritual realm, etc. The decision to send the ark back to Israel has been made, but the Philistines want to ensure that it is sent in a manner agreed upon by these religious and spiritual men. Thus, the Philistines have come to them…

^{2 (con’t)}saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord?

Rather: lemor mah naaseh laaron Y_ehovah – “to say, ‘What we will do to Ark Yehovah?’” In the previous chapter, each time the Philistines referred to the ark, they called it Ark God Israel. They now use the term Ark Yehovah, acknowledging His name.

It appears that they have gained a respect for the Lord from the events that have taken place. He is Yehovah, and they acknowledge Him as such.

Also, they are not asking what to do with the ark as in “shall we keep it or return it?” Rather, they are asking what they shall do to it when they return it. As noted above, the decision to return it has been made, and so…

^{2 (con’t)}Tell us how we should send it to its place.”

hodiunu bameh n_eshal_ekhenu lim_eqomo – “You must cause to know, us, in what we will send it to its place.” The words “in what” signify “how” or “in what manner.” The ark has caused both plague and death. They want that to cease by removing the ark from them. Therefore, they seek what spiritual manner of appeasement will take the hand of the Lord off of them.

Before Israel was defeated in battle, they brought the ark to the battlefield, as if it, regardless of the Lord’s presence, were the key to their success. On the other hand, the Philistines see that even if the ark is removed from them, the Lord can still afflict them…

³So they said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty;

vayom_eru im m_eshal_ekhim eth aron elohe Yisrael al t_eshal_ekhu otho reqam – “And they said, ‘If sending Ark God Israel, not you will send it emptily.’” The adverb reqam, emptily, does not mean “empty inside the ark.” The tablets were inside it, not having been removed by the Philistines. This is certain because they are referred to in 1 Kings –

“Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.” 1 Kings 8:9

In this verse, “emptily” means “without an offering to accompany it in a demonstration of contrition.” This is something that cultures and people in general understand. Even if we can determine that God is self-sufficient, it is still understood that there are obligations for us to acknowledge Him.

Because they have done wrong, they need to do acts of contrition, acknowledging their personal offense. They also need to acknowledge that all blessings ultimately come from Him. This is the purpose of the innumerable religious systems that have been set up in the cultures and societies of the world.

Though certainly being unknown to them, the precept was mandated by the Lord in the law. It is a precept stated twice in Exodus and once in Deuteronomy –

“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed [reqam: emptily]. ¹⁷Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 16:16, 17

The reasons for this being a point of law included ensuring the people fulfilled the obligation, that the offerings were appropriate to the holiness of the Lord, etc.

Without the law, the people’s conduct would be arbitrary, just as is the case with all nations. Such offerings would be unsuited to the expectations and nature of the true God. They would also fail to be suitable typological representations of Christ.

As for the Philistine’s acknowledgement of wrongdoing…

^{3 (con’t)}but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering.

ki hashev tashivu lo asham – “For returning, you must cause to return to Him – guilt.” This means that they are acknowledging their guilt. The offering takes the place of that guilt. Therefore, they are returning their state of guilt via that offering.

The word asham is used to describe the trespass offerings so carefully detailed in Leviticus. For example, “This is the ram of guilt. By sacrificing it to the Lord, the state of guilt is removed.” The Philistines understand they bear guilt. How to remove it is what is in question. Once it has been removed…

^{3 (con’t)}Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”

az t_eraph_eu v_enoda lakhem lamah lo thasur yado mikem – “Then you will be cured, and it was known to you why not it will turn aside, His hand, from you.” The imperfect verb tells us that the affliction is ongoing at this time. Once the ark is returned along with the guilt, the hand of Yehovah would be lifted from them. From there, the understanding that the plagues and death were because of their guilt would become apparent.

⁴Then they said, “What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?”

vayom_eru mah ha’asham asher nashiv lo – “And they said, ‘What the guilt which we will cause to return to Him?’” The NKJV’s “trespass offering” is correct in describing what will be sent, but that offering is only representative of their state of guilt. It is this state that they refer to.

^{4 (con’t)}They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines.

vayom_eru mispar sarne ph_elishtim khamishah aph_ele zahav va’khamishah akhb_ere zahav – “And they said, ‘Number axles Philistines, five buboes – gold, and five mice – gold.” The five leaders stand in place of the five cities with their people. They represent all the Philistines and the land that had been afflicted.

Five is the number of grace.

^{4 (con’t)}For the same plague was on all of you and on your lords.

Rather: ki magephah akhath l_ekulam u-l_esarnekhem – “For stroke one to all them and to your axles.’” The change in pronoun from them to your is a way of saying, “The plague came upon everyone, including you.” The axles stand as representative of the people. They were not exempt from being affected. Because of this…

⁵Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land,

vaasithem tsalme aph_elekhem v_etsalme akhb_erekhem hamashkithim eth ha’arets – “And you made images your buboes, and images your mice the ‘causing to ruin the land.’” This is the first mention of the mice in the text. Of this plague, Cambridge says –

“Aristotle, in his History of Animals (VI. 37) says, ‘In many places mice are wont to appear in the fields in such unspeakable numbers, that scarce anything is left of the whole crop. So rapidly do they consume the corn, that in some cases small farmers have observed their crops ripe and ready for the sickle on one day, and coming the next with the reapers, have found them entirely devoured.’” Cambridge

As noted previously, I suggest that the affliction on the people is a result of these mice, carrying plague with them and causing the buboes. The two logically stand together. Scholars are united in the reason for their recommendation. For example –

“It was a general custom in the nations of antiquity to offer to the deity, to whom sickness or recovery from sickness was ascribed, likenesses of the diseased parts; so, too, those who had escaped from shipwreck would offer pictures, or perhaps their garments, to Neptune, or, as some tell us, to Isis. (See, for instance, Horace, Carm. i. 5.) Slaves and gladiators would present their arms to Hercules; captives would dedicate their chains to some deity. This practice has found favour in more modern times. In the fifth century Christians—Theodoret tells us—would often offer in their churches gold or silver hands and feet, or eyes, as a thank-offering for cures effected in reply to prayer. Similar votive offerings are still made in Roman Catholic countries.” Charles Ellicott

In other words, Yehovah afflicted them through rats and buboes. Thus, that is the sign of guilt upon them. As such, replicating these things is an acknowledgment of that which is to be returned to Him. That is explained in the next words…

^{5 (con’t)}and you shall give glory to the God of Israel;

un_ethatem lelohe Yisrael kavod – “And you gave to God Israel glory.” By sending the images, they acknowledge the One who sent the plagues. It is also an acknowledgment of their guilt that brought about His judgment. It is also an affirmation that He can end the plagues if He accepts their guilt.

^{5 (con’t)}perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your gods, and from your land.

ulay yaqel eth yado mealekhem u-meal elohekhem u-meal arts_ekhem – “if not He will cause to lighten His hand from upon you, and from upon your gods, and from upon your land.” It has already been acknowledged that the five leaders are representative of the people. Therefore, the “upon you” is referring to them and their people collectively.

The weight “upon your gods” was seen when Dagon was toppled and broken. The other gods, though not mentioned, may have been similarly afflicted.

The weight “upon your land” signifies the destruction of crops, something only implied but intended. Further, verse 13 will note that the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping wheat. As such, it is the time when the rats would find plenty of available food.

As this occurred over a seventy-day period, the destruction may have also involved some of the earlier barley harvest. Things would be grim, and the warning is that it could become more so…

⁶Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?

Rather: v_elamah th_ekhab_edu eth levavkhem kaasher kib_edu mitsrayim u-pharoh eth libam – “And why you will enweigh your heart according to which they enweighed, Egypt and Pharaoh, their heart?” This speaks of self-glorification instead of glorifying God. The meaning is clear. The memory of Israel’s exodus remained in the collective mind of the Philistines.

The singular, “their heart,” speaks of Egypt collectively, represented by Pharaoh. He had made his heart heavy, glorifying himself instead of Yehovah. His decision was deemed as national rebellion against the Lord.

This warning to the five leaders is exactly what was prophesied in the first Song of Moses, as noted in Exodus 15 –

“The people will hear and be afraid;
Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.” Exodus 15:14

If they continued in their rebellion, they would suffer greater afflictions, just as Egypt did. Understanding this, they continue with…

^{6 (con’t)}When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart?

halo kaasher hithalel bahem vayshal_ekhum vayelekhu – “Not according to which He gleaned Himself in them and they sent them, and they walked.” The verb alal, to effect thoroughly, is used. As such, it signifies to glean.

When crops are harvested, there may be leftover stalks or fallen grain. However, when gleaners go through the field, they thoroughly gather any remnant of the harvest. The sense is given in the words of Pharaoh’s servants as the judgments of the Lord came upon them –

“Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, ‘How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?’” Exodus 10:7

In the gleaning of Egypt, Pharaoh finally relented and let the people go. The same word was used by the Lord in this same context in Exodus 10 –

“And to purpose: you will tell in ears your son and son your son which I gleaned [alal] Myself in Egypt, and My signs which I put in them, and you will know for I Yehovah.” Exodus 10:2 (CG)

The Philistines also heard and remembered what came upon Israel, just as Israel did. The warning is that the same will continue for them if they don’t act accordingly.

Notice how these priests and diviners rightly associate the people with the Lord and are rightly associating the Ark of the Lord, representative of the Lord, with the people. They are intimately connected in thought. Thus, the ark must be returned…

Head straight on the road to glory
Do not divert at any cost
Pay heed to the gospel story
So that your life isn’t turned and tossed

Keep on the highway, do not divert
And to the left or right, do not look
Onto the supposed shortcuts, do not skirt
Pay attention to the words in His book

Jesus! Keep your eyes on Jesus!
Don’t let anything hold you back
He is the treasure God has set before us
Eyes on Him, and stay on track

II. Walking and Lowing (Verses 7-12)

⁷Now therefore, make a new cart,

v_eatah k_ekhu vaasu agalah khadashah ekhat – “And now, you must take and you must make cart new, one.” With the word “take” preceding “make,” it seems the words are confused. One doesn’t make a new cart out of an old cart. The words mean that they are to take a new cart, one never used before, and make it ready.

The agalah, cart, is from the same root as agol, circular or round, as is egel, a calf. The idea is that which revolves coming back to itself in a full turn, and thus a wheeled cart. The reason a calf comes from that root is because it will frisk around, dancing and twirling.

This will be a new rolling, a new cart.

One is the number of unity. Bullinger says –

“As a cardinal number it denotes unity; as an ordinal it denotes primacy. Unity being indivisible, and not made up of other numbers, is therefore independent of all others, and is the source of all others. So with the Deity. The great First Cause is independent of all. All stand in need of Him, and He needs no assistance from any. ‘One’ excludes all difference, for there is no second with which it can either harmonise or conflict.”

Along with that…

^{7 (con’t)}take two milk cows which have never been yoked,

There are three gender discords in this verse. The first is in this clause: ush_ete pharoth aloth asher lo alah alehem ol – “and two cows, milking, which not it ascended upon them [masc. pl.] yoke.” The parah, cow, comes from par, a bull. That, in turn, comes from parar, to disannul, break, cause to cease, etc.

These are cows, not heifers, as some translations state. Before a female cow has her first calf, she is referred to as a heifer. Once she gives birth to a calf, she is then officially designated as a cow. In this case, these are milking cows, meaning that they have given birth.

These cows were never to have had a yoke raised upon them. The word is ol, yoke, coming from the same word alal, to affect thoroughly, used in the previous verse.

The idea of a yoke on an animal is subjection. On a person, it conveys the idea of degradation. It would be unbefitting for the purpose of returning the ark if these cows had previously been placed under a yoke.

Two is the number of division or difference. The difference is usually one of enmity or being contrary in nature. Despite this, the number two confirms a whole. There is night and day. They are contrary in nature, and yet they confirm the whole of a day.

There is the Old Covenant and the New. They are at enmity, law versus grace, but they confirm the totality of Israel’s interactions with God.

Of these two cows…

^{7 (con’t)}and hitch the cows to the cart;

vaasartem eth haparoth baagalah – “And you yoked the cows in the cart.” The word asar signifies to yoke or hitch. They had never been yoked before, but now they will be. After that…

^{7 (con’t)}and take their calves home, away from them.

vahashevothem b_enehem meakharehem habay_ethah – “and you caused to return their sons [masc. pl.] from after them [masc. pl.] the house-ward.” The sons (calves) of the cows were to be separated from them. Thus, it is a test.

The cows would never leave their little ones unless they were externally affected. Likewise, they would never leave their home area and go unguided to another place unless they were externally affected.

⁸Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart;

Rather: u-l_eqakhtem eth aron Y_ehovah un_ethatem otho el ha’agalah – “And you took Ark Yehovah and you gave it unto the cart.” It is an interesting expression, but it signifies that the cart is taking possession of the Ark, hence “you will give.”

^{8 (con’t)}and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side.

v’eth kele ha’zahav asher hashevotem lo asham tasimu vaargaz mitsido – “And articles the gold which you caused to return to Him, guilt, you will put in the pannier from its side.” The articles of gold are those described in verse 4, the buboes and the mice. They are to be inserted into an argaz, a pannier.

A pannier is a hanging basket, like those on the sides of bikes or motorcycles. These are especially important for carrying Bibles. People who bring bags to the store for carrying their groceries carry grocery panniers. A great dual-use idea would be to fill your grocery pannier with tracts, leaving them in interesting locations in the store while doing your shopping. Be inventive and evangelical in your next shopping trip!

This word, argaz, is a word found only three times in the Bible, all in this account. It is derived from ragaz, to quiver (with any violent emotion, especially anger or fear). The idea is that the pannier is hanging on the side of the cart. Thus, it will quiver or vibrate as the cart rattles along. After inserting the articles…

^{8 (con’t)}Then send it away, and let it go.

veshilakhtem otho v’halakh – “And you sent it and it walked.” Once the things were readied, the cart was to be sent off, maybe with a “Hiyah!” and a push like John Wayne might do. Once set free to walk…

⁹And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil.

u-r_eithem im derekh g_evulo yaaleh beith shemesh hu asah lanu eth haraah hag_edolah hazoth – “And you saw: If road its boundary it will ascend – Beit Shemesh – He! He did to us the evil, the whopping, the this.”

The ark, not merely the cart, is the focus. If it ascends on the border road and heads into Israel to Beth Shemesh, House of the Sun, it will be a sign that the evils that came upon the Philistines were because of the Lord. On the other hand…

^{9 (con’t)}But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance.”

v_eim lo v_eyadanu ki lo yado nag_eah banu miqreh hu hayah lanu – “And if not, and we knew, for not His hand it touched in us. Mishap, it, it became to us.”

If the ark remains, that would be a sign to them that the Lord hadn’t struck them. This is their logical conclusion because if it were Him, the afflictions had the intended purpose of getting them to send the ark back.

The word used to describe the matter if it wasn’t the Lord’s doing is miqreh. It is a noun signifying something met with or a happening. In this case, because it was negative, it was a mishap.

With their directives set forth…

¹⁰Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.

There are two more gender discords: vayaasu ha’anashim ken vayiq_ehu sh_ete pharoth aloth vayaasrum baagalah ve’eth b_enehem kalu vabayith – “And they did, the men, thus. And they took two cows, milking, and they yoked them [masc. pl.] in the cart. And their sons [masc. pl.] they restrained in the house.”

Just as directed, the men, meaning the five leaders, followed through. Because the cows were separated from their young, there would be lowing from both groups.

There are several reasons why cows low: communicating, hunger, mating calls, stress and distress, warning of danger, and contentment. In this case, stress and distress are a natural result of a cow being separated from her calf.

¹¹And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors.

vayasimu eth aron Y_ehovah ha’agalah v_eeth ha’argaz v_eeth akhb_ere ha’zahav v_eeth tsalme t_ekhorehem – “And they set Ark Yehovah unto the cart, and the pannier, and the mice, the gold, and images their boils.” This time, it says they set the ark on the cart. They included with it the pannier and its golden contents.

The word tekhor, boil, is seen for the first of two times. It is from an unused root signifying to burn. Thus, it is a burning inflammation, a boil. With everything prepared…

¹²Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh,

vayisharnah haparoth baderekh al derekh beith shemesh – “And they straightened, the cows, in the road upon road Beth Shemesh.” The verb yashar signifies to be straight or even. In this case, it signifies that they headed directly on the road without veering, heading straight for Beth Shemesh…

^{12 (con’t)}and went along the highway,

bimsilah akhath – “in highway one.” The word mesilah, highway, is derived from salal, to mound up. Thus, it is an elevated road, meaning a highway. In this case, the cows got on that one highway and continued on it without being diverted onto any other adjoining road. And more, they were…

^{12 (con’t)}lowing as they went,

hal_ekhu halokh v_egao – “They walked, walking and lowing.” The word gaah, to bellow, and thus, to low, is seen only here and in Job 6:5. The inference is that they were lowing because they were separated from their young. Despite this, the force that impelled them was stronger than the innate urge to return to their young.

To enhance the thought, the same thought from before is stated differently…

^{12 (con’t)}and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left.

v_elo saru yamin u-sh_emol – “and not they veered right and left.” It was eyes forward and no diverting for these cows. They were set on a firm, straight course. As they went, they were carefully being watched to see how things would turn out…

*^{12 (fin)}And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

There is another gender discord: v_esarne ph_elishtim hol_ekhim akharehem ad g_evul beith shamesh – “And axles, Philistines, walking after them [masc. pl.] until boundary Beith Shemesh.” The five leaders of the Philistines personally verified the event, following the cows until they reached the boundary of Beth Shemesh.

They followed so as not to distract the cows. Once the cows got to the border, it was sufficient evidence to know it was not by mishap but by divine direction.

The words of verse 12 concerning these cows speak of an internal pull that was too strong to overcome. If only we were like them in regard to our relationship with the Lord, things sure would go better for us in our daily lives.

Their calves were behind them, but the pull of the Lord was stronger than the motherly instinct that they were created with. Man has all kinds of natural instincts in him as well. There are urges and desires that we often find overwhelming, and some of them are not healthy.

However, our desire to please the Lord can become our greatest impetus for walking in this life if we allow Him to guide us. In such a case, the first thing we need to do is to remember the simple words of Hebrews 12:1, “Eyeballing unto the ‘faith Pioneer and Completer,’ Jesus” (CG).

He is the main goal and desire that we should set before us at all times. That initially comes with our faith in the gospel. It is what has changed innumerable lives in human history. The worst of offenders have come to the foot of the cross and been cleansed.

From there, many set their goal and pursue Jesus with all the zeal they can muster. There is nothing wrong, and everything right, about this. To complement that goal, though, there should be more than the desire to please Him, but to know Him personally.

It is unreasonable to have a best friend or wife that you don’t know anything about. Rather, such people in our lives are those we get to know personally and intimately in various ways. This is where the Bible comes in.

If we are going to carefully eyeball Jesus while ignoring the distractions that surround us, we need to know what those distractions are and how to avoid them. We will also want to actively pursue what is pleasing to Him.

It would likewise be unreasonable for us to seek to annoy our best friend or wife. But without knowing what annoys them, we might do that, even if unintentionally.

God gave us the word so that we can avoid causing harm to our relationship with Him. Even if we have the best intentions, we may someday find out that the things we do in our walk now have caused just that to happen.

When we read and rightly apply the word to our lives, this can be avoided. It is my heart’s desire that you would faithfully pick up this word, read it, contemplate what you read, study it diligently, and all the while keep your heart geared toward Jesus.

It is possible to get so caught up in doctrine that we can lose our first love. So watch that as well. Jesus! Let your greatest love and desire remain Jesus, the Subject of this word.

For now, let’s be encouraged by the words of Paul in our closing verse. And next week, we will hopefully come to a resolution as to what this chapter is telling us. Stay tuned for that.

Closing Verse: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13, 14

Next Week: 1 Samuel 6:13-21 It’s like the Harlem Globetrotters without Meadowlark. It just won’t do… (The Return of the Ark, Part II) (12^th 1 Samuel sermon)

1 Samuel 6:1-12 (CG)

6 And it was, Ark Yehovah, in field Philistines seven months. ²And they called, Philistines, to the priests and to ‘the divinings,’ to say, “What we will do to Ark Yehovah? You must cause to know, us, in what we will send it to its place.”

³And they said, “If sending Ark God Israel, not you will send it emptily. For returning, you must cause to return to Him – guilt. Then you will be cured, and it was known to you why not it will turn aside, His hand, from you.”

⁴And they said, “What the guilt which we will cause to return to Him?”

And they said, “Number axles Philistines, five buboes – gold, and five mice – gold. For stroke one to all them and to your axles. ⁵And you made images your buboes and images your mice the ‘causing to ruin the land.’ And you gave to God Israel glory, if not He will cause to lighten His hand from upon you, and from upon your gods, and from upon your land. ⁶And why you will enweigh your heart according to which they enweighed, Egypt and Pharaoh, their heart? Not according to which He gleaned Himself in them, and they sent them, and they walked. ⁷And now, you must take and you must make cart new, one, and two cows, milking, which not it ascended upon them yoke. And you yoked the cows in the cart, and you caused to return their sons from after them the house-ward. ⁸And you took Ark Yehovah and you gave it unto the cart. And articles the gold which you caused to return to Him, guilt, you will put in the pannier from its side. And you sent it and it walked. ⁹And you saw: If road its boundary will ascend – Beit Shemesh – He! He did to us the evil, the whopping, the this. And if not, and we knew, for not His hand it touched in us. Mishap, it, it became to us.”

¹⁰And they did, the men, thus. And they took two cows, milking, and they yoked them in the cart. And their sons they restrained in the house. ¹¹And they set Ark Yehovah unto the cart, and the pannier, and the mice, the gold, and images their boils. ¹²And they straightened, the cows, in the road upon road Beth Shemesh in thoroughfare one. They walked, walking and lowing, and not they veered right and left. And axles, Philistines, walking after them until boundary Beith Shemesh.

1 Samuel 6:1-12 (NKJV)

Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. ²And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place.”

³So they said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”

⁴Then they said, “What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?”

They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. ⁵Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your gods, and from your land. ⁶Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart? ⁷Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. ⁸Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. ⁹And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance.”

¹⁰Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. ¹¹And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors. ¹²Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

1 Samuel 5:1-12 (Pandemonium, Whopping)

Charlie Garrett 1 Samuel (Written), Recent Sermons (Written) Sunday, August 24th, 2025Sunday, August 24th, 2025

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 5:1-12
Pandemonium, Whopping

(Typed 2 June 2025) In Romans, Paul gives reasons why God is just and how even our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God. One of his lines of reasoning is found in verse 3:7. He asks, “For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?”

The word “for” looks back to the previous two examples that he gave. He makes his case by citing arguments people could give to justify both their sin and why God should overlook it. He then says, “if the truth of God has increased through my lie…”

God, throughout His word as well as through the moral compass He has placed within man, lets us know that sin will be punished. In punishing sin, God demonstrates His holiness. His punishment of our sin because of His holiness demonstrates that He is truthful in His judgments.

He says He will punish, and then He follows through. This validates the truth of God to us and thus brings Him glory. As such, God is proven truthful and even glorified through my lying, so how can He punish me? I have only increased His glory… see the great thing I have done!

Text Verse: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19, 20

The argument just proposed about God being glorified through my lying reflects the faulty reasoning of someone attempting to justify his perverse actions. There are several points that have to be considered. The first is that the lying is actually intended to do the opposite of what is claimed.

Lying is intended to protect and elevate self, not God. When a person lies, it is motivated by self-serving interests, not another’s glory.

Second, if “the truth of God is increased through my lie to His glory” because He has promised to judge sin, then if He doesn’t judge my sin, the truth of God isn’t increased through my lie at all!

The question, “Why am I also still judged as a sinner?” is invalidated by the faulty premise of the question. Also, God doesn’t need man to be glorified. He is glorious in and of Himself.

The “glory” which is reasoned by the one proposing the argument is the glory of God in the eyes of His creation, not His innate glory. Likewise, the truth of God isn’t “increased” in God. Rather, God is truth. And so, the increase is found in our realization of His truth.

God’s character isn’t dependent on man, and He isn’t dependent on what we think about Him. Our perceptions of Him don’t change His innate truth or glory.

The answer to “Why am I still judged as a sinner?” is found in the fact that I am a sinner, and I am deserving of punishment based on my sin. To attempt to justify sin by using faulty reasoning can only add to my judgment. It will not fool God into throwing up His hands and overlooking my misdeeds.

What does this have to do with the ark being carried to the Philistines? The passage today will reveal that those who think they are pleasing to God during this dispensation through law observance are only fooling themselves.

This is a profound truth that is to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. In the Buboes (verses 1-7)

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

u-ph_elishtim laq_ekhu eth aron ha’elohim vayviuhu me’even ha’ezer ashdodah – “And Philistines, they took Ark the God and they caused to bring it from Stone, the Helper Ashdod-ward.”

With the capture of the ark and the death of Eli and his sons, the narrative now turns solely to the details about the ark while it is in captivity. It is the time that the land is denuded of its glory. That is seen in the words of Psalm 78 –

“So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
The tent He had placed among men,
⁶¹And delivered His strength into captivity,
And His glory into the enemy’s hand.
⁶²He also gave His people over to the sword,
And was furious with His inheritance.
⁶³The fire consumed their young men,
And their maidens were not given in marriage.
⁶⁴Their priests fell by the sword,
And their widows made no lamentation.” Psalm 78:60-64

Ashdod is one of the five capital cities of the Philistines at this time. In the New Testament, it is known as Azotus (Acts 8:40). Today, it is a beautiful city in Israel. It sits along the coast between Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, which is north of Gaza.

Strong’s indicates Ashdod means Ravager based on the root shadad, to devastate or destroy. Abarim gives several possibilities, such as Mountain Slope, Ravine Bottom, Fortress, Demon Place, or Furrowed Field. They also provide the unusual name Fire of David based on esh, fire, and dod, David. Using that logic, it would also mean Fire of the Beloved.

Philistines means Weakeners. Ebenezer, with the article (even ha’ezer), would mean Stone the Helper.

²When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon

vayiqhu ph_elishtim eth aron ha’elohim vayaviu oto beith dagon – “And they took, Philistines, Ark the God and they caused to bring it temple Dagon.” The words are similar to the previous verse but show the progression of events –

And Philistines, they took Ark the God, and they caused to bring Him from Stone, the Hepler Ashdod-ward.
And they took, Philistines, Ark the God, and they caused to bring Him temple Dagon.

The reason for bringing the ark to the house of Dagon is to use it as an offering to their god. It is intended to be a proof that Dagon is greater than the God of Israel. Because of this…

^{2 (con’t)}and set it by Dagon.

vayatsigu otho etsel dagon – “And they caused to position it aside Dagon.” The word yatsag, to permanently place, is used. It is more definitive than the normal word, sum, to set. They have positioned the ark as a permanent reminder of their victory over Israel, and thus, the God of Israel.

Dagon comes from dag, fish. This signifies abundance. Hence, the word daga means to multiply or increase. The word dagan refers to cereal crops in general, thus natural abundance. Therefore, Dagon can mean Fish, Increase, or Cultivation of Natural Abundance.

The Philistines’ cities are coastal, thus, having a fish as their deity is logical, at least from a fallen human standpoint. The idol representing Dagon was believed to have the upper half reflecting a man and the lower half reflecting a fish.

One Assyrian depiction has a man cloaked in a fish with the mouth of the fish looking like one of the pointy hats of Catholic bishops. The rest of the fish hung like a garment around the man.

³And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord.

vayashkimu ashdodim mimakhorath v_ehineh dagon nophel l_ephanav artsah liphne aron Y_ehovah – “And they caused to rise early, Ashdodites, from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to his face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah.”

Rising early in the morning appears to indicate a priestly duty, such as making an offering to their god. For this or some other reason, they went in to attend to Dagon. However, despite the ark having been positioned aside Dagon, it is Dagon that is lying prostrate before the ark. The idea of triumph is thus turned on its head, or maybe better, “fallen on its face!”

Despite this, the Philistines have not yet clued into the significance of the matter…

^{3 (con’t)}So they took Dagon and set it in its place again.

vayiq_ekhu eth dagon vayashivu otho lim_eqomo – “And they took Dagon, and they caused to set it in its place.” When one has to lift up his god and set it in place, it should be obvious that it is not a god. Obviously, they carried the ark in, and so they could assume this is a comparable event. But the ark is the place where the God of Israel dwelt, not Him.

Despite that, the ark is typologically given to represent Jesus, but that is not the point at this time. The Philistines have misunderstood the nature of the ark, assuming it is like their god. The Lord is instructing them that this is not the case…

⁴And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord.

vayashkimu vaboqer mimakhorath v_ehineh dagon nophel l_ephanav artsah liphne aron Y_ehovah – “And they caused to rise early in the morning from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to its face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah.” After righting Dagon and having it stand all day long, they must have figured all was good. However, a repeat of the previous night revealed that such was not the case. And more…

^{4 (con’t)}The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold;

Rather: v_erosh dagon ushtei kapoth yadav k_eruthoth el hamiphtan – “And head Dagon, and two palms its hands, cut unto the threshold.” The meaning is that the two parts of the idol that were specifically human in appearance were cut off. The form would be a fish, but the head was cut off.

Likewise, the palms of the hands would appear like human hands. Thus, they were sliced off from the hands. And more, they lay upon the miphtan, threshold. This is a new word seen twice in this account, five times in Ezekiel, and once in Zephaniah 1:9.

It is from the word pethen, an asp. That is derived from an unused root signifying to twist. The connection is that the threshold is stretched out as the asp stretches out.

The rosh, head, signifies that which is chief, first, of highest importance, etc. The, kaph, palm (and sole), signifies possession and/or the state of something. Thus, Dagon is not the chief god, it has no authority, and it possesses nothing. Of this failed god, it next says…

^{4 (con’t)}only Dagon’s torso was left of it.

Rather: raq dagon nishar alav – “Only Dagon, it was left, upon it.” The meaning is that the fish part remained. And it wasn’t as if the idol had fallen over and the things were broken off. Rather, the head and palms were cut off and lying on the threshold, separate from it. It was an evident, visual event that could not be explained away.

⁵Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

al ken, lo yidr_e’khu kohane dagon v_ekal habaim beith dagon al miphtan dagon b_eashdod ad ha’yom hazeh – “Upon thus not they tread, priests Dagon and all the ‘coming house Dagon,’ upon threshold Dagon in Ashdod until the day, the this.” Because of the events that occurred, a new and superstitious practice took hold. Rather than stepping on the threshold, they would step over it. Of this, Clarke rightly states –

“Thus it was ordered, in the Divine providence, that, by a religious custom of their own, they should perpetuate their disgrace, the insufficiency of their worship, and the superiority of the God of Israel.” Adam Clarke

The words “until the day, the this” indicate that the narrative was written and compiled some amount of time later. It was a practice that endured and became a regular part of their customs when going before Dagon.

The practice of leaping over the threshold is something that the inhabitants of Jerusalem took up, as indicated in Zephaniah 1 –

“And it shall be,
In the day of the Lord’s sacrifice,
That I will punish the princes and the king’s children,
And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.
⁹In the same day I will punish
All those who leap over the threshold,
Who fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.” Zephaniah 1:8, 9

It is debated whether this habit was adopted from the narrative in 1 Samuel or not. The same word, miphtan, is used in both, and there is no other reference to the habit. It appears that someone probably heard of the practice and adopted it at the temple in Jerusalem as people tend to do.

⁶But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod,

vatikhbad yad Y_ehovah el ha’ashdodim – “And it heavy, hand Yehovah, unto the Ashdodites.” This is the first of two times the name Yehovah will be mentioned apart from the ark. Both are the narrator referring to the hand of Yehovah being on the people as punishment.

The hand is the position of power and authority. The hand of Yehovah being heavy upon those of Ashdod means that He is wielding His power and authority against them.

They thought they were superior to Him and Israel because they prevailed in battle, but the lesson was for Israel to learn from, not because of their greatness. At the same time, those of Ashdod would also learn…

^{6 (con’t)}and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.

The written and the oral Hebrew are different: vayshimem vayak otham baophalim eth ashdod v_eeth g_evuleha – “And He caused to ravage them, and He caused to strike them in the buboes, Ashdod and her borders.” The written Hebrew says baophalim, in the XXX. The problem is that no one is sure what ophalim are. In verse 6:5, it says –

“And you will make images your buboes [ophalim] and images your mice the ‘causing to ruin’ the land. And you will give to God Israel glory, if not He will cause to lighten His hand from upon you, and from upon your gods, and from upon your land.”

As such, it is something that is caused by rats. Due to the difficulty of the translation, the oral Hebrew is changed to bat_ekhorim, “in the tumors,” in both verses. Deuteronomy 28:27 uses the same word, ophalim, which the oral also changes to t_ekhorim, tumors.

“The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.” Deuteronomy 28:27

I have translated ophalim as buboes. These are painful, swollen lymph nodes, resulting from bubonic plague. These buboes can turn black and necrotic. This will cause the surrounding tissue to rot away. They can also rupture with discharges of large amounts of pus. Thus, this analysis is perfectly in line with the words of verse 6:4.

Each time the word “tumors” is used in these verses by the NKJV, it is from the oral rather than the written Hebrew. Despite this, the written, ophalim, should be considered the correct rendering.

⁷And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us,

vayiru anshe ashdod ki khen v_eam_eru lo yeshev aron elohe Yisrael imanu – “And they saw, men Ashdod, for thus. And they said, ‘Not it will sit, Ark God Israel, with us.’” There is an understanding that the plague upon them was a result of the ark they possessed. However, they apparently think that the plague is a result of their location, or them as a particular people, and not necessarily because of the ark being taken from Israel.

This would be a logical assumption because they had won the battle. Otherwise, they would have lost. As for them, they say…

^{7 (con’t)}for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”

ki qash_etah yado alenu v_eal dagon elohenu – “For it severe upon us and upon Dagon our god.” They are the people of Dagon. The ark has brought trouble upon them and on the god of their temple. In order to resolve the matter, they will devise other plans…

When a god isn’t a god, shouldn’t we know?
How is it that we can’t get this right?
Let us not worship what is false, even if though…
We don’t know the true God by sight

To not know what is true is one thing
But to worship what we know is false is another
To do this would make us a ding-a-ling (aling)
Let us not be ding-a-lings, brother

We can seek out the true while rejecting the rong
This is what we should do
To this unknown God, we should sing our song
Until we know He who is true

II. To Kill Me and My People

⁸Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

vayishl_ekhu vayaas_ephu eth kal sarne ph_elishtim alehem vayom_eru mah naaseh laaron elohe Yisrael – “And they will send, and they will gather all axles Philistines unto them, and they said, ‘What we do to Ark God Israel?’” The word that describes the leaders of the five major cities of the Philistines is seren, an axle. Thus, the leader is the central figure upon whom the city turns.

The leaders are called because a problem and its cause have been identified. They know it would be unwise to arbitrarily return the ark to Israel, but it would also be unwise to move the ark to another Philistine city without an agreement to do so.

Therefore, they have called the leaders to discuss and decide…

^{8 (con’t)}And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.

vayom_eru gath yisov aron elohe Yisrael vayasebu eth aron elohe Yisrael – “And they said, ‘Gath! It will turn, Ark God Israel.’ And they caused to turn Ark God Israel.” The decision is to turn the ark from Ashdod to Gath. Ostensibly, there was no temple of Dagon there. Therefore, the lords could see what happened. If nothing, it would tell them that the conflict was between the Lord and Dagon.

The meaning of Gath is Winepress. In Scripture, the winepress is a place of judgment symbolized by the treading out of grapes. However, in treading out grapes, there is also a sense of joy because of the produce derived from the process. This is seen in the symbolism of Revelation –

“Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
¹⁸And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’ ¹⁹So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. ²⁰And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.” Revelation 14:17-20

⁹So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction;

vayhi akhare hesobu otho vat_ehi yad Y_ehovah bair m_ehumah g_edolah m_eod – “And it will be after they caused to turn it, and it was, hand Yehovah, in the city – pandemonium, whopping, very.” As before, the hand of the Lord, His power and authority, is brought to bear against the city. In turn, that caused severe pandemonium.

The word m_ehumah signifies an uproar. It is derived from hum, to make an uproar. It is an onomatopoetic expression where the noise of the events hums out in profuse and profound panic and pandemonium…

^{9 (con’t)}and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

vayakh eth anshe ha’ir miqaton v_ead gadol vayisat_eru lahem ophalim – “And He caused to strike men the city, from diminutive and until great, and it was erupted to them buboes.” The word sathar is found only here. It signifies to erupt, burst, or break out. This is exactly what buboes do.

And more, these eruptions were indiscriminate in who they came upon. From the smallest to the greatest, it affected them all. Because of this, and not cluing into the obvious trouble they were in…

¹⁰Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron.

vayshal_ekhu eth aron ha’elohim eqron – “And they will send, Ark the God, Ekron.” After the breakouts in Ashdod and Gath, they decided to give it another try by sending it to Ekron. The name comes from aqar, to pluck up or uproot. But that is from the same as eqer, an offshoot or descendant. Hence, the name could mean either Offshoot or Uprooted.

^{10 (con’t)}So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!”

vayhi k_evo aron ha’elohim eqron vayiz_eaqu ha’eqronim l_emor hesabu elay eth aron elohe Yisrael lahamitheni v_eeth ami – “And it was, according to coming, Ark the God, Ekron, and they shrieked, the Ekronites, to say, “They caused to bring unto me Ark God Israel to cause to kill me and my people.”

The change from the plural to the singular reveals the mindset of the people. First, they all shrieked, and then they all, individually, referred to themselves and those they lived with.

There is an obvious time lapse here that must be ascertained from the words of verse 11. The ark was brought to Ekron and, as it says, “according to coming,” things devolved for them. It seems likely that they had heard of the disaster that befell the other cities.

However, whether that was the case or not, it became immediately apparent that they were being affected by the presence of the ark, be it after a day, a week, or whatever. Therefore, hoping that before further danger could come upon them…

¹¹So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines,

vayishl_ekhu vayaasphu eth kal sarne ph_elishtim – “And they sent, and they gathered all axles Philistines.” They sent out messengers, certainly in haste, to bring their complaints before the lords of the cities. Even if the leaders had not yet added the numbers together, the people of Ekron had, and they wanted nothing more to do with the ark.

Once the deaths started, the gathering of the lords was called for…

^{11 (con’t)}and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.”

vayom_eru shal_ekhu eth aron elohe Yisrael v_eyashov limqomo v_elo yamith othi v_eeth ami – “And they said, ‘You must send Ark God Israel, and may you return it to its place, and not it must cause to kill me and my people.” Again, the words go from the plural to the singular.

They know that the ark must be returned to Israel. Its presence had brought misery and death to three cities, and the stubbornness of keeping it needed to end.

^{11 (con’t)}For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city;

Rather: ki hay_ethah m_ehumath maveth b_ekal ha’ir – “For it was pandemonium – death in all the city.” The city was in complete uproar from what was occurring. One can almost see body collectors walking through the city with wagons calling, “Bring out your dead. Bring out your dead,” in an attempt to keep the place from becoming overwhelmed with stench and rot…

^{11 (con’t)}the hand of God was very heavy there.

kav_edah m_eod yad ha’elohim sham – “It was heavy, very, hand the God there.” This is the first time that the term elohim, God, is used without being connected to the ark. And more, the narrator says, “the God.”

As always, the use of the article is expressive. It refers to the one true God in relation to man. It is used to reveal those who are in a right relationship with Him, or to contrast those who are not in a right relationship with Him. In this case, it is apparent that the Philistines are not in a right relationship with Him…

¹²And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors,

v_ehaanashim asher lo methu huku ba’ophalim – “And the men not they died, they were caused to be struck in the buboes.” The plague caught up with everyone. Many died, but those who didn’t still faced the excruciating pains of the plague. It was such a catastrophe that the people cried out in anguish…

*^{12 (fin)}and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

vataal sav_eath ha’ir ha’shamayim – “And it ascended, vociferation the city, the heavens.” The noun shavah is used. It signifies a hallooing, meaning a cry for help. The intent is that these Philistines have concluded that the all-powerful hand of the God of Israel, who dwells in the heavens, had come upon them. Thus, their cry was directed to Him, even if they didn’t know Him personally.

Death in the city! Bring out your dead
There is nothing but loss since the ark came
Many have suffered plagues and bled
Because of their God, Yehovah by name

We must return Him to His land
The ark must return to Israel
We have been afflicted by His mighty hand
If we don’t return it, things won’t go well

Hear our cry, You in the heavens
We will return the ark as we know is right
We swear the oath, swearing by sevens
The ark will return and be gone from our sight

III. An Explanation of the Verses

The events of this chapter occur at the time when Israel was denuded. The glory has departed. The Philistines, the Weakeners, have taken the ark from Stone the Helper to Ashdod, Fire of Beloved.

They took it into the House of Dagon, meaning House of Increase, placing it, supposedly permanently, next to Increase. However, the next day, Increase fell on its face before Yehovah. Undeterred, the priests set it up again in its place.

A second time, they went in to find Increase fallen on its face before Yehovah, but this time its head and its palms had been cut off and cast to the threshold. This signifies Increase is not the first or head god. In fact, it possesses nothing.

Despite this, the priests and others continued to come to the house of Increase but would not tread on the threshold. The very place where they should have learned their lesson about Dagon not being a god became a place of reverence towards it.

Only after this are the plagues and buboes mentioned, so it appears these were a result of not learning the lesson of Dagon. At that time, it was said that the hand of Yehovah was heavy upon the Ashdodites.

That word, kaved, heavy, is the root of the word kavod, glory, used in the previous chapter to signify that the glory had been denuded from Israel. Those who took it now face the weight of the hand of the Lord for having done this.

Despite that, perhaps thinking that this was a result of their location and/or a conflict with Dagon, Increase, they gathered the lords and asked what should be done.

Instead of sending it back to Israel, they decided to send it to Gath, Winepress, signifying a place of judgment. That, however, turned into another disaster upon the people with the plague of buboes.

It was next sent to Ekron, Uprooted. That led to panic among the people and more disaster upon them throughout the city. Because of that, it was recommended to send the ark back to Israel.

The narrator at that time noted that the hand of the God was very heavy, kaved m_eod, upon them. At the time of the denuding of Israel, there is the heavy hand upon the Weakeners.

Each of the cities has a name that signifies some type of judgment. Ashdod appears most likely to mean Fire of Beloved. As such, it would signify a burning of the Lord against it, such as is noted in Zephaniah 2:4. Gath, Winepress, signifies judgment as noted in Revelation. Ekron, Uprooted, forms a clear picture of judgment, such as in Amos 9:15 and Matthew 15:13.

As has been seen previously, the Philistines picture those who weaken the faith of others, particularly through law observance. The purpose of the passage is to show that judgment should be expected during the time of Israel’s being denuded of its glory for those who fail to live by faith.

Instead, they should expect only judgment. The example given in the introduction about increasing God’s glory through sin exactingly explains why Dagon, Increase, is named in this passage.

Those who have rejected faith in Christ and who believe they can merit God’s favor through the law, epitomized by the Philistines (Weakeners), are trusting in a false god.

The proposition set forth in these verses is based on the attitude of some who exist during our present dispensation. It is not intended as a picture of everything that happens with Jesus during this time.

Instead, it is only a proposition of what will happen based on people’s attitude when considering their position in relation to the now obsolete law.

Some supposedly attempt to increase the glory of God through observance of the law, but are doing it with faulty reasoning. If they truly wanted to glorify God, they would be trusting in the full, finished, final, and forever work of Christ, who is God.

Instead, their true purpose is self-exaltation. Because of this, as Paul says in Romans 3:9, their condemnation, meaning their judgment, is just.

God is not looking for people who want to impress themselves, others, or Him. He looks for those willing to trust Him and what He has done through Jesus Christ. There is no substitute for this.

There is no excuse for sin, and all sin is dealt with through punishment. For those in Christ, it was dealt with through His crucifixion. Those who are not in Christ must face their own punishment.

As you go about your day, don’t try to rationalize away your wrongdoings. Once you have accepted that sin necessitates a penalty, take the time to give God praise for what He has done for you through Jesus. The cross of Calvary was a high price for the sins we so easily dismiss. Amen.

Closing Verse: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²²even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” Romans 3:21, 22

Next Week: 1 Samuel 6:1-12 The Philistines took it and it wasn’t so fun… (The Return of the Ark, Part I) (11^th 1 Samuel sermon)

1 Samuel 5 (CG)

5 And Philistines, they took Ark the God, and they caused to bring it from Stone, the Helper Ashdod-ward. ²And they took, Philistines, Ark the God, and they caused to bring it temple Dagon. And they caused to set it aside Dagon. ³And they caused to rise early, Ashdodites, from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to his face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah. And they took Dagon, and they caused to set it in its place. ⁴And they caused to rise early in the morning from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to its face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah. And head Dagon, and two palms its hands, cut unto the threshold. Only Dagon, it was left, upon it. ⁵Upon thus, not they tread, priests Dagon and all the ‘coming house Dagon,’ upon threshold Dagon in Ashdod until the day, the this.

⁶And it heavy, hand Yehovah, unto the Ashdodites. And He caused to ravage them, and He caused to strike them in the buboes, Ashdod and her borders. ⁷And they saw, men Ashdod, for thus. And they said, “Not it will sit, Ark God Israel, with us. For it severe upon us and upon Dagon our god. ⁸And they will send, and they will gather all axles Philistines unto them, and they said, ‘What we do to Ark God Israel?’

And they said, ‘Gath! It will turn, Ark God Israel.’ And they caused to turn Ark God Israel. ⁹And it will be after they caused to turn it, and it was, hand Yehovah, in the city – pandemonium, whopping, very. And He caused to strike men the city, from diminutive and until great, and it was erupted to them buboes.

¹⁰And they will send, Ark the God, Ekron. And it was, according to coming, Ark the God, Ekron, and they shrieked, the Ekronites, to say, “They caused to bring unto me Ark God Israel to cause to kill me and my people. ¹¹And they sent, and they gathered all axles Philistines, and they said, ‘You must send Ark God Israel, and may you return it to its place, and not it must cause to kill me and my people. For it was pandemonium – death in all the city. It was heavy, very, hand the God there. ¹²And the men not they died, they were caused to be struck in the buboes. And it ascended, vociferation the city, the heavens.

1 Samuel 5 (NKJV)

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ²When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. ³And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. ⁴And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. ⁵Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

⁶But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. ⁷And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.” ⁸Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. ⁹So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

¹⁰Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” ¹¹So 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 back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. ¹²And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

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