1 Samuel 5 9

1 Samuel 5:9 kjv

And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.

1 Samuel 5:9 nkjv

So 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.

1 Samuel 5:9 niv

But after they had moved it, the LORD's hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.

1 Samuel 5:9 esv

But after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

1 Samuel 5:9 nlt

But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the LORD's heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic.

1 Samuel 5 verses

1 Samuel 5 9 Meaning

This verse describes the severe divine judgment brought upon the city of Gath after the Ark of the Covenant was transported there. Following its arrival, the active "hand of the LORD" caused widespread confusion and affliction throughout the city. This manifested as a comprehensive pestilence, striking every inhabitant, from the youngest to the oldest, with painful tumors or boils, specifically in sensitive bodily areas. It clearly demonstrates God's sovereign power over both pagan deities and human populations.

1 Samuel 5 9 Context

This verse occurs within the narrative of the Ark of the Covenant's capture by the Philistines. Following the crushing defeat of Israel at Ebenezer and the deaths of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam 4), the Ark was taken to Ashdod. There, the LORD asserted His sovereignty by causing Dagon, the Philistine idol, to fall and be mutilated before the Ark (1 Sam 5:1-5). Consequently, Ashdod was struck with disease (emerods). As a response, the leaders of Ashdod determined to send the Ark to Gath, another major Philistine city (1 Sam 5:8), believing the affliction might be localized. Verse 9 then describes the immediate and severe consequences faced by Gath upon the Ark's arrival and their similar disrespectful treatment. This continuous unfolding judgment on successive Philistine cities emphasizes God's presence and power, even when His people are in disarray and His sacred Ark is held by enemies.

1 Samuel 5 9 Word analysis

• And after they had carried it about: (וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי הִסָּבֵב אוֹתוֹ - va·yehi acharei his'sabeḇ oto)

  • וַיְהִי (va·yehi - And it happened, so it was): A common Hebrew narrative connector, indicating a continuation or consequence.
  • אַחֲרֵי (acharei - after): Denotes a sequence of events.
  • הִסָּבֵב (his'sabeḇ - carried it about, turning it, rotating it): This suggests a public display, parade, or moving of the Ark through the city, likely with Philistine presumption or curiosity. It highlights that the judgment was not immediate upon entry but came after they had actively involved themselves with it, perhaps showing it off.
  • אוֹתוֹ (oto - it): Refers to the Ark of God, which is implicitly the object of their handling and disrespect.

• the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: (וַתְּהִי יַד-יְהוָה בָּעִיר מְהוּמָה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד - vat·tehi yad-YHWH ba'ir mehumah gedolah me'od)

  • וַתְּהִי יַד-יְהוָה (vat·tehi yad-YHWH - and the hand of Yahweh was): "Hand of the LORD" is a powerful anthropomorphism, signifying God's direct, active, and potent intervention. It is a consistent biblical idiom for divine judgment or intervention, always with significant and often destructive effects when it is "against."
  • בָּעִיר (ba'ir - in the city): Specifies Gath as the target.
  • מְהוּמָה (mehumah - confusion, terror, panic, great destruction/disaster): This term signifies chaos, violent agitation, or overwhelming defeat. It indicates more than just physical disease; it points to a breakdown of order and extreme fear. The use of this word implies a widespread psychological impact in addition to the physical one.
  • גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד (gedolah me'od - very great): Intensifies the degree of the destruction/confusion, emphasizing its unparalleled severity.

• and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts. (וַיַּךְ אֶת-אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר מִקָּטֹן וְעַד-גָּדוֹל וַיִּהְיוּ לָהֶם עֳפָלִים בַּסְּתָרִים׃ - va·yakh et-anshei ha'ir mikkaton ve'ad-gadol va·yihyu lahem ‘ophalim bas'tarim)

  • וַיַּךְ (va·yakh - and He smote, struck down): Denotes a decisive, forceful, and punitive action, characteristic of divine judgment.
  • אֶת-אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר (et-anshei ha'ir - the men/people of the city): Indicates all inhabitants, not just specific individuals.
  • מִקָּטֹן וְעַד-גָּדוֹל (mikkaton ve'ad-gadol - from small to great, from least to greatest): This idiom is used throughout the Old Testament to signify comprehensively, every single person, regardless of age, status, or strength. It stresses the universality of the judgment.
  • וַיִּהְיוּ לָהֶם עֳפָלִים (va·yihyu lahem ‘ophalim - and they had emerods / tumors / boils): עֳפָלִים (‘ophalim) specifically refers to swellings or tumors, often painful and debilitating. This is generally understood to be related to buboes, swellings of the lymph glands, commonly associated with the bubonic plague. It is a precise medical description of the affliction. The term often implies humiliation as well due to their nature.
  • בַּסְּתָרִים (bas'tarim - in their secret/hidden parts): This specific localization, meaning "in their private/hidden parts," points to the groin area, consistent with the typical manifestation of bubonic plague. This adds a layer of extreme pain, indignity, and probably increased mortality due to the sensitive nature and the infection of the afflicted area.

1 Samuel 5 9 Bonus section

The repeated emphasis on the "hand of the LORD" (mentioned also in 1 Sam 5:6-7) underlines God's direct, personal, and powerful involvement, rejecting any notion of accidental misfortune. The specific nature of the 'emerods' (‘ophalim), widely identified with bubonic plague by various scholars due to historical evidence of such plagues with specific lesion locations, showcases God's sovereign control even over diseases. This specific affliction could also be seen as a direct rebuttal to their gods, perhaps mirroring pagan beliefs about deity-inflicted disease or fertility. The detail of the Ark being "carried about" before the plague emphasizes that the Philistines were not ignorant victims but had actively engaged with the sacred object, thus bringing the judgment upon themselves. The passage reveals God's self-sufficient nature; He does not need to be rescued by Israel but rescues His own name from reproach among the Gentiles. The very "presence" of the Ark, which Israel had failed to honor properly, now serves as an instrument of divine judgment among the Philistines, ironically doing more to honor God's name through judgment than Israel did through obedience at that time.

1 Samuel 5 9 Commentary

1 Samuel 5:9 vividly illustrates the terrifying nature of divine judgment when God's holiness is defied. The moving of the Ark through Gath, perhaps a boastful display or simple handling without due reverence, immediately provokes God's active "hand." The resulting "great destruction" or "panic" reveals not merely physical ailment but a profound disruption and terror inflicted upon the city. The universal scope of the affliction, hitting "small and great," underscores that no one was exempt from God's wrath in a community that tolerated, or perhaps even glorified, the idol Dagon alongside the Ark. The painful "emerods in their secret parts" highlight a targeted, humiliating, and agonizing judgment, often understood by scholars to be a form of the bubonic plague. This episode firmly asserts Yahweh's unparalleled supremacy over the Philistine gods, proving that the true God does not need a temple or a priest to defend His honor; His presence alone is a formidable power against idolatry and sin.

Examples:

• This teaches that God's presence, when disrespected, brings severe consequences, similar to touching live electrical wires carelessly.
• The widespread nature of the affliction reminds us that sin can have collective repercussions within a community.
• The humiliation of the disease teaches that God can expose and disgrace those who oppose His glory.