1 Samuel 6:1 kjv
And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
1 Samuel 6:1 nkjv
Now the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
1 Samuel 6:1 niv
When the ark of the LORD had been in Philistine territory seven months,
1 Samuel 6:1 esv
The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
1 Samuel 6:1 nlt
The Ark of the LORD remained in Philistine territory seven months in all.
1 Samuel 6 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 25:10-22 | They shall make an ark of acacia wood...there I will meet with you... | Ark's divine design and purpose |
| Num 10:33-36 | When the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, let your enemies...” | Ark leads Israel, divine presence in war |
| Josh 3:3-6 | when you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical... | Ark precedes Israel, symbolizing God's leading |
| Psa 78:60-61 | He abandoned Shiloh, the tent where he resided...delivered his strength to captivity... | God's apparent abandonment and Ark's capture |
| Jer 7:12-14 | Go to Shiloh, where I made my name dwell...I will do to the house that bears my name... | God abandons places for disobedience, parallels Ark capture |
| 1 Sam 4:10-11 | So Israel was defeated...the ark of God was captured... | Philistine victory, but beginning of their trouble |
| 1 Sam 5:1-2 | They took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon... | Ark's placement in enemy temple |
| 1 Sam 5:3-5 | Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD... | God's supremacy over Dagon |
| 1 Sam 5:6-9 | the hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod...tumors... | Divine judgment on Ashdod and Gath |
| 1 Sam 5:10-12 | send away the ark of the God of Israel...a deadly panic was on the whole city... | Philistines seeking relief from plagues |
| Psa 105:27-38 | He sent plagues among them and showed wonders...He struck all the firstborn... | God uses plagues against His enemies |
| Exo 9:16 | But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show my power... | God raises up enemies to demonstrate His power |
| Rom 9:17 | For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up...” | God's purpose in Pharaoh for His glory |
| Gen 7:4 | in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days... | "Seven" signifies completion or divine appointment |
| Gen 8:4 | in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest... | "Seven" related to a period of conclusion (Noah's Ark) |
| Lev 16:29 | In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves... | Day of Atonement in 7th month, for cleansing and judgment |
| 2 Kgs 8:1 | Elisha said...“Arise, and go for seven years...because the LORD has called for a famine.” | "Seven" for a prolonged, divinely appointed period (famine) |
| Dan 4:16, 23, 25 | Let seven periods of time pass over him... | "Seven" for a period of divine humbling/judgment |
| Rev 15:1 | Then I saw another great and amazing sign in heaven: seven angels with seven plagues... | "Seven" for completeness of divine wrath |
| 2 Sam 6:6-7 | Uzzah put out his hand...to the ark...the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah... | Respect for the Ark's holiness, dangers of irreverence |
| Josh 6:4 | Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns...the seventh day you shall march... | "Seven" as part of a strategic divine plan (Jericho) |
| 1 Sam 6:2-4 | Then the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners... | Philistines finally seek divine guidance after 7 months |
1 Samuel 6 verses
1 Samuel 6 1 Meaning
The sacred Ark of the LORD, symbolizing God's presence and covenant, remained in the territorial control of the Philistines for a duration of seven months. This period underscores God's active demonstration of His supremacy and judgment against their pagan gods and land, proving His sovereignty even when His dwelling symbol was in enemy hands.
1 Samuel 6 1 Context
Following Israel's disastrous defeat by the Philistines and the capture of the Ark of God (1 Sam 4), the subsequent chapter (1 Sam 5) details the severe divine judgment that afflicted the Philistine cities of Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron. This judgment manifested as the repeated desecration of their god Dagon, found prostrate and broken before the Ark, and a severe outbreak of tumors or bubonic plague among their population. The hand of the LORD was undeniably heavy upon them. Verse 1 of chapter 6 precisely quantifies the duration of this sustained divine affliction and the Ark's presence in their territory, establishing the exact timeframe over which God's power was unequivocally demonstrated before the Philistines, recognizing it as a curse, sought to return the Ark. Historically, this occurred during a period of intense Philistine dominance over Israel, yet God showed He was in ultimate control, protecting His name and asserting His power against idolatry.
1 Samuel 6 1 Word analysis
- And: Hebrew waw (וְ). A simple conjunctive, linking this statement directly to the preceding narrative of Philistine suffering and humiliation. It indicates the continuation and climax of God's active judgment.
- the ark: Hebrew aron (אֲרוֹן). This sacred chest symbolized God's manifest presence, His throne, and the place of His covenant with Israel (Exo 25:22). Its capture was not a defeat for God, but an opportunity for Him to showcase His power independently of Israel's military strength.
- of the LORD: Hebrew YHWH (יְהוָה). The incommunicable, covenantal name of God. This stresses that the Ark belonged specifically to the self-existent, sovereign God of Israel, distinguishing Him from all pagan deities like Dagon. It underscores whose authority and power were at work.
- was: Hebrew hayah (הָיָה). A simple past tense, emphasizing a state of being or having occurred. It conveys the objective fact of the Ark's continuous presence and the prolonged period of judgment.
- in the country: Hebrew bĕśadê (בִּשְׂדֵה). Literally "in the fields of" or "in the territory of." This phrase indicates that the Ark was not confined to one city but had circulated through various Philistine lands (Ashdod, Gath, Ekron), implying the widespread and national scale of the divine plague.
- of the Philistines: Hebrew Pelištîm (פְּלִשְׁתִּים). Refers to the seafaring people who settled on the coastal plain of Canaan, perpetual adversaries of Israel known for their distinctive culture and polytheistic worship, including Dagon. This context highlights the divine polemic against their gods and their dominion.
- seven months: Hebrew šiv‘āh ḥodāšîm (שִׁבְעָה חֳדָשִׁים). This specific duration signifies completeness or divine appointment in biblical numerology. It was a sufficient, divinely ordained period for God to demonstrate His full power, exhaust Philistine resistance, and force their acknowledgment of His might, leading to their decision to return the Ark. The completeness implies thoroughness in their humbling.
1 Samuel 6 1 Bonus section
The seemingly lengthy "seven months" underscores God's deliberate, patient, yet persistent work of divine judgment. This was not a quick, isolated punitive action, but a sustained, undeniable display of Yahweh's power over an entire people. It afforded sufficient time for the Philistines to fully grasp the source of their calamities, contrasting their repeated attempts to transfer the Ark and their suffering. This prolonged period also subtly reveals that while Israel might have failed and lost the Ark, God remained sovereign over the symbol of His presence, and His glory would be vindicated on His own timetable, independent of His people's current spiritual state.
1 Samuel 6 1 Commentary
1 Samuel 6:1 provides the crucial detail of time, specifying the duration of the Ark's involuntary stay among the Philistines. These "seven months" were not a passive period, but a time of active, pervasive divine judgment upon the Philistine nation. It signifies that God did not require Israel's military might to defend His honor or retrieve His Ark; rather, He utilized the time to manifest His power supremely, humiliating false gods and inflicting suffering severe enough to compel His enemies to confess His unique authority and presence. This duration served as an intensive object lesson in the sovereignty of the God of Israel, causing His name to be feared and respected even by pagan adversaries, ultimately driving them to repatriate the Ark out of dread rather than any change of heart towards true worship.