1 Samuel 6:13 Kommentar

In this chapter we have the return of the ark to the land of Israel, whither we are now gladly to attend it, and observe, I. How the Philistines dismissed it, by the advice of their priests (Sa1 6:1-11), with rich presents to the God of Israel, to make an atonement for their sin (Sa1 6:3-5), and yet with a project to bring it back, unless Providence directed the kine, contrary to their inclination, to go to the land of Israel (Sa1 6:8, Sa1 6:9). II. How the Israelites entertained it. 1. With great joy and sacrifices of praise (Sa1 6:12-18). 2. With an over-bold curiosity to look into it, for which many of them were struck dead, the terror of which moved them to send it forward to another city (Sa1 6:19-21).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 6 In this chapter we are told the Philistines advised with their priests what to do with the ark, and wherewith to send it home, Sa1 6:1 whose advice was to send with it a trespass offering, golden images of emerods and mice, and to put it on a new cart, and the images in a coffer on the side of the ark, and draw it with two cows, Sa1 6:3, and gave them a token whereby they might know whether they had been smitten by the God of Israel or not, Sa1 6:9 which advice they took, and acted in all things according to it; and the lords of the Philistines accompanied the ark to the border of Bethshemesh, Sa1 6:10, where they of Bethshemesh received it with joy, and offered the kine for a burnt offering to the Lord, and the Levites took care of the ark and presents in it, and the lords of the Philistines returned home, Sa1 6:13, but they of Bethshemesh looking into the ark were smitten of God, upon which they sent to the men of Kirjathjearim to fetch it from them, Sa1 6:19.

And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley,.... Which began at Pentecost, in the month Sivan, about our May; so that there were many people in the fields, who were eyewitnesses of this wonderful event: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it; for though the ark while in the tabernacle was only seen by the high priest, when he went into the holy of holies; yet this having been brought out from thence, and exposed in the camp of Israel, some of this place very probably were there at that time, and had seen it, and knew it again by its form and splendour; and which gave them great pleasure to behold, which had been taken, and had been so long in the hand of the enemy, and the people of Israel deprived of it; which was the symbol of the divine Presence among them, and now restored to them again; and in this wonderful way, without seeking for it, without going to war on account of it, without paying a ransom for it; and was brought to them in a cart drawn by cattle without a driver, the lords of the Philistines with a large retinue following it. This is to be understood not of their looking "into" it, as they afterwards did, and were punished, as Kimchi; but of their looking "on" it.

You are aware, then, that when the ark of the testimony was seized by the enemies of Ashdod, and a terrible and incurable malady had broken out among them, they resolved to place it on a cart to which they yoked cows that had recently calved, for the purpose of ascertaining by trial whether or not they had been plagued by God's power on account of the ark, and if God wished it to be taken back to the place from which it had been carried away. And when they had done this, the cows, led by no man, went not to the place whence the ark had been taken, but to the fields of a certain man whose name was Oshea, the same as his whose name was altered to Jesus (Joshua), as has been previously mentioned, who also led the people into the land and meted it out to them: and when the cows had come into these fields they remained there, showing to you thereby that they were guided by the name of power; just as formerly the people who survived of those that came out of Egypt, were guided into the land by him who had received the name Jesus (Joshua), who before was called Oshea.

19. For who can the Bethshemites be more rightly understood as than those who are already perfect men in the sublimity of contemplation? For they are as if from the house of the sun, who, having despised all earthly things, are illuminated by the splendors of the true light. They are indeed from the house of the sun, who, already buried to the whole world, burn with the flame of wondrous love to see the glory of their Creator. They ascend to their city in two ways: they who are led to the glory of the heavenly homeland both now through contemplation and in the end through the truth of glory. Now they fly to the house of the sun by contemplating; but what they now behold through purity of mind, they will then grasp the truth of eternal recompense through present joy. Therefore the ark of God is brought to Bethshemesh when the chosen mind is raised to eternal joys, either through the height of contemplation or through the reception of recompense. Since therefore we cannot know that eternal and ineffable resting place of the ark, let us hear the things that are said about this one which we know. What then does it mean that the Bethshemites were reaping wheat in the valley, except that those devoted to the contemplative life gather the delights of inner refreshment in the virtue of humility? For indeed in sacred Scripture the valley signifies the lowliness of the humble, as the Psalmist testifies, who speaking of the Lord says: "Who sends forth springs in the valleys" (Psalm 103:10). For He pours the infusion of heavenly grace into minds disposed through humility. The Bethshemites therefore reap wheat in the valley: because those devoted to contemplation, while they behold heavenly things more clearly on account of the merit of humility, bind sheaves of joys for the sweeter refreshment of their minds. For wheat bread, just as it is whiter in appearance, so also is it more delightful in taste. 20. But perhaps while still placed in this life we do not take bread, but harvest ears of grain; whereas in that heavenly life of blessedness, we eat not ears of grain, but bread. For in this life, when we are raised up to contemplate eternal things, we strive to grasp likenesses of heavenly realities from these lowly and visible things, so that, according to the voice of the distinguished teacher, we may know the invisible things from the creation of the world through those things which have been made visible (Rom. 1:20). Wherefore also that true Bethshemite, belonging to the household of the Sun of justice, exulting says: "You have delighted me, O Lord, in Your handiwork, and in the works of Your hands I will exult. How magnificent are Your works, O Lord! Exceedingly deep have Your thoughts become" (Psalm 92:5–6). But while we receive the joys of invisible things in visible things, we still hold the wheat, as it were, within the chaff. Then, however, the pure wheat, or bread made from wheat, will be ours. For when death has already been swallowed up, in eternal life, with face unveiled, we shall behold the Redeemer more clearly, and we shall have no need of the coverings of likenesses for the knowledge of Him. Rightly therefore it is said of the Bethshemites that they were harvesting wheat in the valley: because perfect men, even though they receive the loftiness of heavenly contemplation as a reward for humility, cannot attain to contemplating the pure substance of almighty God to such a degree, inasmuch as they still harvest the refreshment of their mind, as it were, among the chaff. And indeed the good of this humility is signified when it is added: "And lifting up their eyes, they saw the ark of God." 21. For they raise their eyes: because while they do not think lofty things of themselves, they are, in their own estimation, as if on level ground. They raise their eyes: because those whom they see made worthy by divine grace, they contemplate as placed on the lofty summit of merits. But raising their eyes, they see the ark: because the more humbly they cast themselves down in their own estimation, the better they can recognize the good qualities of their neighbors. For that Truth which abandons the hearts of the proud of itself, also hides from them those very gifts which it bestows upon the humble; so that, as if utterly blinded, they do not even see the sun already spread across the earth—they who have ceased to behold the rays of its brightness in heaven. But since we have referred the return of the ark of God to the purpose of the contemplative life, the raising of the eyes can also be fittingly referred to the pursuit of discerning spirits. For the Bethshemites raise their eyes when, in the purpose of a more secluded life, they consider with careful examination the gifts of those flocking to them; when with attentive mind they examine whether those approaching pursue the purpose of a higher life, which they seek by drawing near, with right and strong intention. To raise their eyes, therefore, is for them to consider more deeply the spirit of the newcomers. But raising their eyes, they behold the ark of God: because while they examine more carefully the conduct of those persons, they discover that they shine with the grace of spiritual virtues. And because through the affection of love they rejoice over the good qualities they have recognized in them, it is fittingly added: "And they rejoiced when they saw it."

Moreover, the Bethshemites were reaping wheat in the valley, etc. Furthermore, the citizens of eternal light, desirous to store the ripe fruits of virtues, which they produced with humble hearts, into the joys of the heavenly homeland; and with the eyes of their hearts lifted, they rejoiced wherever on earth they saw the heavenly things.

After the ark had been seven months in the land of the Philistines, they consult their priests and diviners about sending it to Shiloh, Sa1 6:1, Sa1 6:2. They advise that it be sent back with a trespass-offering of five golden emerods, and five golden mice, Sa1 6:3-6. They advise also that it be sent back on a new cart, drawn by two milch kine from whom their calves shall be tied up; and then conclude that if these cows shalt take the way of Beth-shemesh, as going to the Israelitish border, then the Lord had afflicted them, if not, then their evils were accidental, Sa1 6:7-9. They do as directed; and the kine take the way of Beth-shemesh, Sa1 6:10-13. They stop in the field of Joshua; and the men of Beth-shemesh take them, and offer them to the Lord for a burnt-offering, and cleave the wood of the cart to burn them, and make sundry other offerings, Sa1 6:14, Sa1 6:15. The offerings of the five lords of the Philistines, Sa1 6:16-18. For too curiously looking into the ark, the men of Beth-shemesh are smitten of the Lord, Sa1 6:19, Sa1 6:20. They send to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, that they may take away the ark, Sa1 6:21.

THE PHILISTINES COUNSEL HOW TO SEND BACK THE ARK. (Sa1 6:1-9) the ark . . . was in the country of the Philistines seven months--Notwithstanding the calamities which its presence had brought on the country and the people, the Philistine lords were unwilling to relinquish such a prize, and tried every means to retain it with peace and safety, but in vain.

The Ark of God Sent Back. - Sa1 6:1-3. The ark of Jehovah was in the land (lit. the fields, as in Rut 1:2) of the Philistines for seven months, and had brought destruction to all the towns to which it had been taken. At length the Philistines resolved to send it back to the Israelites, and therefore called their priests and diviners (see at Num 23:23) to ask them, "What shall we do with regard to the ark of God; tell us, with what shall we send it to its place?" "Its place" is the land of Israel, and בּמּה does not mean "in what manner" (quomodo: Vulgate, Thenius), but with what, wherewith (as in Mic 6:6). There is no force in the objection brought by Thenius, that if the question had implied with what presents, the priests would not have answered, "Do not send it without a present;" for the priests did not confine themselves to this answer, in which they gave a general assent, but proceeded at once to define the present more minutely. They replied, "If they send away the ark of the God of Israel (משׁלּחים is to be taken as the third person in an indefinite address, as in Sa1 2:24, and not to be construed with אתּם supplied), do not send it away empty (i.e., without an expiatory offering), but return Him (i.e., the God of Israel) a trespass-offering." אשׁם, lit. guilt, then the gift presented as compensation for a fault, the trespass-offering (see at Lev. 5:14-6:7). The gifts appointed by the Philistines as an asham were to serve as a compensation and satisfaction to be rendered to the God of Israel for the robbery committed upon Him by the removal of the ark of the covenant, and were therefore called asham, although in their nature they were only expiatory offerings. For the same reason the verb השׁיב, to return or repay, is used to denote the presentation of these gifts, being the technical expression for the payment of compensation for a fault in Num 5:7, and in Lev 6:4 for compensation for anything belonging to another, that had been unjustly appropriated. "Are ye healed then, it will show you why His hand is not removed from you," sc., so long as ye keep back the ark. The words תּרפאוּ אז are to be understood as conditional, even without אם, which the rules of the language allow (see Ewald, 357, b.); this is required by the context. For, according to Sa1 6:9, the Philistine priests still thought it a possible thing that any misfortune which had befallen the Philistines might be only an accidental circumstance. With this view, they could not look upon a cure as certain to result from the sending back of the ark, but only as possible; consequently they could only speak conditionally, and with this the words "we shall know" agree.

The inhabitants of Bethshemesh were busy with the wheat-harvest in the valley (in front of the town), when they unexpectedly saw the ark of the covenant coming, and rejoiced to see it. The cart had arrived at the field of Joshua, a Bethshemeshite, and there it stood still before a large stone. And they (the inhabitants of Bethshemesh) chopped up the wood of the cart, and offered the cows to the Lord as a burnt-offering. In the meantime the Levites had taken off the ark, with the chest of golden presents, and placed it upon the large stone; and the people of Bethshemesh offered burnt-offerings and slain-offerings that day to the Lord. The princes of the Philistines stood looking at this, and then returned the same day to Ekron. That the Bethshemeshites, and not the Philistines, are the subject to ויבקּעוּ, is evident from the correct interpretation of the clauses; viz., from the fact that in Sa1 6:14 the words from והעגלה to גּדולה אבן are circumstantial clauses introduced into the main clause, and that ויבקּעוּ is attached to לראות ויּשׂמחוּ, and carries on the principal clause.