1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 6 The Philistines consult with the priests how they shall return the ark: they advise to send with it for a trespass-offering five golden emerods and mice, on a new cart which they do: the kine tied to the cart, go straightway to Beth-shemesh; which was for a sign to the Philistines... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DIVINERS; whose art was in great esteem with heathen nations, and especially with the Philistines and their neighbours the Canaanites and Egyptians. WHEREWITH; in what manner, and with what gifts; for to send it they had decreed before, 1 SAMUEL 5:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
EMPTY, i.e. without a present; which they judged necessary, from the common opinion and practice both of Jews and Gentiles. RETURN HIM A TRESPASS-OFFERING; thereby to acknowledge our offence, and obtain his pardon. IT SHALL BE KNOWN TO YOU; you shall understand what is hitherto doubtful, whether he... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT SHALL BE THE TRESPASS-OFFERING? they desire particular information, because they were ignorant of the nature and manner of the worship of Israel's God, and they might easily understand that there were some kinds of offerings which God would not accept. GOLDEN EMERODS, i.e. figures of that part... [ Continue Reading ]
GLORY UNTO THE GOD OF ISRAEL; the glory of his power in conquering you, who seemed and pretended to have conquered him; of his justice in punishing you; and of his goodness if he shall relieve you. FROM OFF YOUR GODS they so speak, either because not only Dagon, but their other gods also, were throw... [ Continue Reading ]
DO YE HARDEN or, _should ye harden_; the future tense of the indicative mood being put potentially, as is not unusual. They express themselves thus, either because they perceived that some opposed the decree of sending home the ark, though the most had consented to it; or because they thought they w... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE A NEW CART; as David did for the same use, 2 SAMUEL 6:3, in reverence to the ark. ON WHICH THERE HATH COME NO YOKE; partly in respect to the ark, and partly for the better discovery, because such untamed heifers are wanton, and apt to wander, and keep no certain and constant paths, as oxen accu... [ Continue Reading ]
LAY IT UPON THE CART; which God winked at in them, both because they were ignorant of God's law to the contrary, and because they had no Levites to carry it upon their shoulders. IN A COFFER BY THE SIDE THEREOF; for they durst not presume to open the ark, to put them within it.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS OWN COAST, or, border, i.e. the way that leadeth to his coast or border, viz. the country to which it belongs. THEN HE HATH DONE US THIS GREAT EVIL; which they might well conclude, if such heifers should, against their common use and natural instinct, go into a strange path, and regularly and co... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE WAY OF BETH-SHEMESH, i.e. leading to Beth-shemesh, a city of the priests, JOSHUA 21:16, who were by office to take care of it. LOWING AS THEY WENT; testifying at once both their natural and vehement inclination to their calves, and the supernatural and Divine power which overruled them to a c... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CLAVE; not the lords of the Philistines, but the Beth-shemites, to wit, the priests that dwelt there. A BURNT-OFFERING to the Lord: there may seem to be a double error in this act. First, That they offered females for a burnt-offering, contrary to LEVITICUS 1:3, LEVITICUS 22:19. Secondly, That... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LEVITES TOOK DOWN, or, _for the Levites had taken down_; for this, though mentioned after, was done before the sacrifices were offered.... [ Continue Reading ]
To wit, when they had seen that prodigious return of the ark to its own country, and the entertainment it found there.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH OF FENCED CITIES, AND OF COUNTRY VILLAGES: this is added for explication of that foregoing phrase, ALL THE CITIES; either to show that under the name of the five cities were comprehended all the villages and territories belonging to them, in whose name and at whose charge these presents were ma... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAD LOOKED INTO THE ARK OF THE LORD; having now an opportunity which they never yet had, nor were ever like to have, it is not strange they had a vehement curiosity and desire to see the contents of the ark; or whether the Philistines had taken them away, and put other things in their place; an... [ Continue Reading ]
TO STAND BEFORE THIS HOLY LORD GOD, i.e. to minister before the ark where the Lord is present. Since God is so severe to mark whatsoever is amiss in his servants, who is sufficient and worthy to serve him? who dare presume to come into his presence? It seems to be a complaint, or expostulation with... [ Continue Reading ]
They sent to Kirjath-jearim, either because the place was not far from them, and so it might soon be removed, which they mainly desired; or because it was a place of eminency and strength, and somewhat further distant from the Philistines, where therefore it was likely to be better preserved from an... [ Continue Reading ]