1 Samuel 5 12

1 Samuel 5:12 kjv

And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 5:12 nkjv

And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 5:12 niv

Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 5:12 esv

The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 5:12 nlt

Those who didn't die were afflicted with tumors; and the cry from the town rose to heaven.

1 Samuel 5 verses

1 Samuel 5 12 Meaning

1 Samuel 5:12 depicts the continuing severe divine judgment upon the Philistine city of Ekron. Following a deadly plague that had already caused fatalities, those who survived were afflicted with painful and debilitating tumors. The extent of this widespread suffering and agony was so profound that a loud, collective cry of distress and anguish from the entire city ascended as if reaching the heavens, powerfully conveying the overwhelming magnitude of their torment and desperation. This verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty and the unyielding nature of His judgment against those who profane His holiness or defy His power.

1 Samuel 5 12 Context

1 Samuel 5 describes the immediate consequences of the Philistines capturing the Ark of the Covenant from Israel (1 Sam 4). Instead of a victory celebration, the Ark brings judgment to their cities. In Ashdod (1 Sam 5:1-7), Dagon, their national god, falls twice before the Ark, symbolically showing the true God's supremacy. Subsequently, the people of Ashdod are afflicted with severe tumors and a deadly plague. As a result, the Ark is moved to Gath (1 Sam 5:8-9), where similar widespread suffering occurs. By 1 Samuel 5:10, the Ark is sent to Ekron, the third Philistine city. Upon its arrival, fear and panic gripped the populace, who cried out that it was brought to kill them all. This specific verse, 1 Samuel 5:12, elaborates on the extent of God's heavy hand in Ekron, showing a continued escalation of judgment, where even those who survived immediate death from the plague are subjected to debilitating tumors, culminating in an unbearable collective cry of anguish. The historical context reflects a period of divine demonstration of power over pagan deities and nations, without human intervention from Israel, to underscore His holy nature and supreme authority.

1 Samuel 5 12 Word analysis

• And the men that died not: This phrase directly implies that a significant number of people had died, reflecting the prior severity of the divine plague. It points to a continuation and perhaps a different form of God's judgment affecting those who initially survived the immediate fatality, demonstrating the pervasiveness of His wrath.
• were smitten / stricken: The Hebrew word is nakah (נָכָה), meaning to strike, smite, wound, or inflict. This verb denotes a direct, purposeful, and active intervention by God, not a random or natural event. It emphasizes that this suffering was divinely orchestrated.
• with the emerods / with tumors: The Hebrew term is ʻaphōlīm (עפלים), commonly referring to swellings, tumors, or hemorrhoids. In ancient contexts, particularly in the description of plagues, this word is often associated with the painful buboes (lymph node swellings) symptomatic of the bubonic plague. This affliction was excruciatingly painful, physically debilitating, and highly humiliating, symbolizing public divine judgment and shame. (Compare Deut 28:27).
• and the cry: The Hebrew word is za'aqah (זְעָקָה), which signifies a loud, desperate outcry, a shriek, or a wail for help. It is not a murmur but a collective expression of profound agony, terror, and despair from the entire city's inhabitants.
• of the city: This indicates the suffering was not localized to a few individuals but afflicted the entire urban population, emphasizing the widespread nature and devastating impact of the judgment on Ekron as a whole.
• went up to heaven: The phrase uses the Hebrew verb alah (עלה), meaning "to ascend." This is a powerful biblical idiom (Gen 18:20, Exod 2:23-24, Jas 5:4) signifying that the outcry was of such immense magnitude and distress that it reached the very presence of God. It highlights the divine awareness of their suffering and the extraordinary severity of the judgment that prompted such a desperate, piercing cry, underscoring that the hand of God was undeniable.

1 Samuel 5 12 Bonus section

The type of "tumors" (emerods) described often rendered the Philistines unable to sit, making public and private life exceptionally miserable and shameful. This specific form of affliction contributed to their urgency in returning the Ark. The severity of the punishment also serves as a polemic against the Philistine belief that their god, Dagon, or other deities, could protect them. Instead, it showed their powerlessness. The phrase "went up to heaven" also implies God's full knowledge and intentionality in these events, indicating a judicial act rather than a random misfortune, fulfilling a similar pattern to God's judgments against Egypt.

1 Samuel 5 12 Commentary

1 Samuel 5:12 serves as the dramatic culmination of God's self-vindication among the Philistines, illustrating His uncontestable supremacy. The progression of judgment, from the idol Dagon's desecration to widespread death and then chronic, humiliating tumors, paints a picture of an escalating divine wrath that defies any human or pagan resistance. The "tumors" (emerods) were not merely uncomfortable but gravely debilitating, often associated with a deadly plague, ensuring maximum suffering for the survivors. The collective "cry of the city" ascending "to heaven" vividly conveys the overwhelming, all-encompassing nature of their agony, demonstrating the full measure of divine judgment without any external intervention from Israel. This was God establishing His unique holiness and power to both Israel and their pagan neighbors, proving that He is incomparable to any idol and demonstrating the dire consequences of profaning what belongs to Him.