1 Samuel 5:11 kjv
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
1 Samuel 5:11 nkjv
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go 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.
1 Samuel 5:11 niv
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, "Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people." For death had filled the city with panic; God's hand was very heavy on it.
1 Samuel 5:11 esv
They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people." For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there.
1 Samuel 5:11 nlt
The people summoned the Philistine rulers again and begged them, "Please send the Ark of the God of Israel back to its own country, or it will kill us all." For the deadly plague from God had already begun, and great fear was sweeping across the town.
1 Samuel 5 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 10:1-2 | Now Nadab and Abihu... offered unauthorized fire... and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them. | Divine judgment for disrespecting holy things/God's presence. |
| Num 4:15-20 | Kohathites shall come to carry... but they shall not touch the holy things... lest they die. | Warnings against inappropriate contact with holy items. |
| Num 17:10 | Put back the staff of Aaron... to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings, lest they die. | The Ark's proximity bringing death to those who defy God. |
| 2 Sam 6:6-7 | When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand... and took hold of the ark... the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah. | Direct parallel: death for touching the Ark improperly. |
| 1 Chr 13:9-10 | When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark... And the anger of the LORD was kindled. | Another account of Uzzah's death; reinforcing holiness of Ark. |
| Exod 3:20 | So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt... After that he will let you go. | God's 'hand' as an instrument of powerful judgment. |
| Exod 8:1-2 | Thus says the LORD, "Let my people go, that they may serve me. But if you refuse to let them go... behold, I will plague all your country with frogs." | Plagues as divine judgment against disobedient nations/rulers. |
| Psa 32:4 | For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. | God's 'heavy hand' indicating severe spiritual/physical burden. |
| Psa 38:2 | For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me. | Poetic imagery of God's 'hand' as affliction. |
| Job 13:21 | Only two things do not do to me, then I will not hide myself from you: withdraw your hand far from me. | A plea for God to remove His afflicting hand. |
| Psa 115:3-8 | Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold... they have mouths, but do not speak. | Polemic against false gods and their powerlessness contrasted with Yahweh. |
| Isa 44:9-20 | All who fashion idols are nothing... it is a delusion. | Mockery of idols, reinforcing the powerlessness of Dagon compared to Yahweh. |
| Jer 10:3-5 | For the customs of the peoples are vanity... they must be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them. | Further contrast of idols with the living God, powerless vs. powerful. |
| Isa 66:1-2 | Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me? And what is the place of my rest? | God's sovereignty, demonstrating no human structure can contain Him. |
| 1 Sam 5:6 | But the hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he afflicted them and attacked them. | Previous instances of the Ark's plague on other Philistine cities. |
| 1 Sam 5:9 | But when they had brought it, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted. | Previous instances of the Ark's plague on other Philistine cities. |
| Josh 6:1-5 | Now Jericho was shut up... only the ark of the LORD will pass. | The power and significance of the Ark in divine strategy. |
| John 18:6 | When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. | Unbelievers recoil from divine presence/power. |
| Acts 5:1-11 | Ananias and Sapphira... fell down and breathed his last. Great fear came upon the whole church. | Divine judgment in the New Testament against disrespect for holiness. |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. | General principle of God's wrath against sin, evident in Philistia. |
| Heb 10:31 | It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. | Highlights the fear and danger of incurring God's wrath. |
| 2 Sam 24:15 | So the LORD sent a plague on Israel... and there died 70,000 men. | Plague as God's instrument of judgment even on His own people. |
1 Samuel 5 verses
1 Samuel 5 11 Meaning
The verse conveys the profound desperation and terror of the Philistines in Ekron. Faced with devastating and widespread divine judgment, they recognized the "God of Israel" as the direct source of the affliction. Their plea to return the Ark signifies a forced acknowledgment of the true God's immense power and an attempt to end the calamitous plagues, fearing total annihilation of their city and people. It highlights the direct, heavy hand of God bringing about panic and death.
1 Samuel 5 11 Context
This verse is situated at a critical juncture in the narrative of the Ark of the Covenant's capture by the Philistines. Following their military victory over Israel (1 Sam 4), the Philistines seized the Ark, bringing it as a trophy to the temple of Dagon in Ashdod (1 Sam 5:1). However, the narrative immediately demonstrates the absolute supremacy of Yahweh: Dagon's idol is repeatedly found fallen and shattered before the Ark (1 Sam 5:3-4). Divine judgment then struck Ashdod and subsequently Gath, inflicting the populace with severe tumors and widespread panic (1 Sam 5:6, 9). This forced the Philistines to move the Ark, first from Ashdod to Gath, and then to Ekron. Verse 5:11 specifically describes the dire situation in Ekron, where the severity of the affliction reaches its peak, leading the Philistine lords to unanimously decide to send the Ark away to preserve their lives. The historical context reflects a time when military strength and deities were intertwined; the Philistines' experience with the Ark drastically reorients their understanding of divine power, moving from triumph to terror.
1 Samuel 5 11 Word analysis
- "So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines": This indicates a collective and urgent action by the top political and military leaders (seranim) of the Philistines. The gathering signifies the widespread impact of the plague and the gravity of the crisis, requiring a unified decision across their city-states.
- "and said, 'Send away the ark of the God of Israel'": This is a crucial turning point. They no longer refer to it merely as "the ark" but explicitly as "the ark of the God of Israel" ('aron Elohei Yisrael). This denotes a forced acknowledgment of Yahweh's identity and power, moving beyond simply believing in the Ark as a magical object to recognizing the sovereign Deity it represents. Their instruction to "send away" (shalekhū) shows their desire to completely rid themselves of this terrifying presence.
- "and let it return to its own place": This phrase implicitly recognizes the holiness and distinct sphere of the Ark and the God of Israel. It implies an understanding that the Ark belongs in a particular setting and that its removal from its designated sacred space (and introduction into a foreign, pagan context) is the cause of their calamity.
- "lest it slay us and our people": The phrase pan-yamit otanu ve'et-ammeinu expresses their overwhelming fear of complete annihilation. "It" (the Ark/God's active presence) is personified as an active agent of death, signifying that the current judgment is leading to an escalating loss of life and general collapse.
- "For there was a deadly panic throughout the whole city": Ki-haitah mehūmat-mavet bekol-ha'ir. Mehumah describes a great commotion, tumult, or panic. The addition of mavet (death) creates "deadly panic" or "confusion unto death," indicating a terror so profound that it was disorienting, disruptive to societal order, and directly associated with fatalities beyond the initial plague. This describes a complete breakdown of composure and increasing mortality.
- "The hand of God was very heavy there": Va-hiyah yad-haElohim kavedah me'od sham. "Hand of God" (yad-haElohim) is a powerful biblical idiom (anthropomorphism) denoting God's direct, personal, and active intervention, displaying His might, authority, and often His judgment. "Heavy" (kavedah) implies an overwhelming, oppressive, and burdensome presence of judgment. "Very" (me'od) intensifies the severity, leaving no doubt as to the divine and destructive nature of the Philistines' suffering. This phrase unequivocally identifies the ultimate source of their terror and suffering.
1 Samuel 5 11 Bonus section
The irony in 1 Samuel 5:11 is profound: Israel had lost the Ark by treating it superstitiously, as a good luck charm disconnected from true obedience and holiness. In contrast, the Philistines, initially believing they had captured a "god" or symbol of Israel's strength, are now taught by severe suffering that Yahweh is a living, active, and terrifyingly holy God. This narrative serves as a potent theological lesson: God defends His glory, not just for Israel's sake, but for His own name. The Philistines' forced confession and their plea for the Ark's departure are a testimony to Yahweh's unrivaled power over all earthly dominions and false deities. The incident underscores that God's holiness, if not approached with proper reverence, brings death and destruction, regardless of whether one is an Israelite or a Philistine.
1 Samuel 5 11 Commentary
First Samuel 5:11 marks the culmination of Yahweh's self-vindication against the Philistine gods and empire. Even in the absence of Israelite forces, God proves His independent and formidable sovereignty. The Philistines' decision to return the Ark is not out of newfound reverence, but pure terror, driven by the palpable and devastating effects of "the hand of God." Their forced recognition of the "God of Israel" and their acknowledgment of the Ark's proper "place" highlight their pagan deities' powerlessness in contrast to Yahweh, who brings plague, panic, and death. This divine judgment is swift, escalating, and designed to restore the holiness of His presence and His reputation, proving that He does not need human armies to fight His battles and defend His honor, especially when His own people are spiritually compromised.