1 Samuel 6 8

1 Samuel 6:8 kjv

And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

1 Samuel 6:8 nkjv

Then take the ark of the LORD and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go.

1 Samuel 6:8 niv

Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way,

1 Samuel 6:8 esv

And take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way

1 Samuel 6:8 nlt

Put the Ark of the LORD on the cart, and beside it place a chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors you are sending as a guilt offering. Then let the cows go wherever they want.

1 Samuel 6 verses

1 Samuel 6 8 Meaning

1 Samuel 6:8 records the Philistine priests' instruction for returning the Ark of the Lord to Israel. They command that the sacred Ark be placed on a new cart, alongside a box containing golden images representing the tumors and mice that had afflicted their land. These gold offerings were specifically designated as a "guilt offering" (asham) to the God of Israel. The final directive was to simply "send it away" and "let it go," trusting that if the Ark returned to Beth-shemesh unsupervised, it would prove the God of Israel was indeed the source of their plagues, rather than mere chance or disease. This verse demonstrates a blend of pagan divination practices with a compelled acknowledgment of the Lord's unique power and the necessity of making restitution.

1 Samuel 6 8 Context

1 Samuel 6:8 is part of the narrative detailing the Philistines' forced return of the Ark of the Covenant. Chapters 4 and 5 recount the capture of the Ark by the Philistines during a battle, followed by a series of divine judgments upon the Philistine cities of Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, including outbreaks of tumors and a plague of mice. Their god Dagon was humiliated before the Ark, being found prostrate and broken. After seven months of these devastating plagues, the Philistine rulers consulted their priests and diviners to determine how to stop the affliction and what restitution was required.

Historically and culturally, ancient Near Eastern peoples, including the Philistines, often associated plagues or calamities with divine wrath, which necessitated appeasement and propitiation of the offended deity. Their religious practices often involved offerings that mirrored the affliction itself as a form of sympathetic magic or direct atonement. The concept of a "guilt offering" (Hebrew: asham) was, however, uniquely Israelite, usually requiring specific restitution for sins against God or neighbor. The Philistine priests’ instruction, while still rooted in their divination practices (like using cows not yoked and a new cart as a test for a divine sign), remarkably appropriated this Israelite theological term. Their instruction represents a significant moment of forced, external recognition of the Israelite God's unique and overwhelming power, compelling even a pagan nation to attempt to conform, however imperfectly, to a sacred standard previously unknown to them, thereby showcasing God's sovereignty over all nations and deities.

1 Samuel 6 8 Word analysis

• And take: (Hebrew: וּלְקַחְתֶּם, u'l'qachtem) – This is a plural imperative, indicating a command given by the Philistine priests to their people or leaders. It conveys a clear, immediate instruction to perform an action.
• the ark of the Lord: (Hebrew: אֲרוֹן יְהוָה, 'aron YHWH) – "Ark" (aron) refers to the sacred chest containing the tablets of the Covenant, God's dwelling place among Israel. "The Lord" (YHWH) is the unique, covenant name of the God of Israel. This designation highlights the Philistines’ recognition of whose ark it truly is and consequently, whose power is behind their suffering. Its holiness and divine connection are central to the instruction.
• and lay it upon: (Hebrew: וְשַׂמְתֶּם, wə'samtem) – "And you shall place it." A simple, direct action. The specific mention of "upon the cart" (al ha’agalah) emphasizes that it is to be carried in a particular manner, separating it from ordinary burdens.
• the cart: (Hebrew: עֲגָלָה, 'agalah) – This cart, specified as "new" in verse 7, symbolizes separation, purity, and sacred use. Things dedicated to God, or for sacred purposes, were often required to be new or unused, indicating something set apart and unpolluted by common tasks. This echoes practices for sacrificial animals (Exod 12:5) or instruments for divine service.
• and put: (Hebrew: וְנָתַתֶּם, wə'natattem) – "And you shall give/place."
• the articles of gold: (Hebrew: צַלְמֵי הַזָּהָב, tsalmei hazzahav) – "Figures/images of the gold." These are the golden effigies of tumors and mice explicitly mentioned in 1 Samuel 6:4-5. The use of gold (a precious metal) indicates the value and earnestness of their offering. This practice of offering votive gifts representing the disease or affliction was common in ancient Near Eastern religions, appealing to deities for relief.
• which you are presenting to Him: (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר הֲשִׁבֹתֶם לוֹ, 'asher hashivottem lo) – "Which you returned to Him." This acknowledges that these offerings are specifically for YHWH, implicitly confirming their understanding that He was the one causing the affliction and thus requiring propitiation.
• as a guilt offering: (Hebrew: אָשָׁם, asham) – This is a crucial theological term. An asham or "trespass offering" in Israelite law (Lev 5-6) typically compensated for a trespass or breach of faith against God or a neighbor, involving restitution and additional penalty. The Philistines, though pagan, are compelled by circumstances to utilize a term and concept from Israelite religion, acknowledging a debt owed to the powerful God whose Ark they desecrated. This reflects their rudimentary understanding of restitution being necessary to appease an offended divine being.
• in a chest by its side: (Hebrew: אַרְגָּז מִצִּדּוֹ, argaz mi'tsiddo) – "A chest at its side." The small argaz (box/chest) to separate and hold the golden items. Placing it "by its side" implies it is accompanying the Ark, physically connected to the central act of restitution.
• Then send it away: (Hebrew: וְשִׁלַּחְתֶּם אֹתוֹ, wə'shilaḥtem oto) – "And you shall send it." A directive to release it without human guidance, relying solely on divine will for its direction.
• that it may go: (Hebrew: וְהָלָכָה, wə'halakha) – "And it shall go/will go." The passive voice or intended result underscores the Philistines' intention to perform a test or an oracle: allowing the Ark's undirected journey to prove or disprove its connection to their calamities. It implies trusting in a supernatural outcome rather than human agency.

Words-group analysis:

• "take the ark of the Lord and lay it upon the cart": This sequence dictates the method of transporting the sacred object. The mention of "the cart" being "new" (from the preceding verse) suggests an attempt at reverence or a ritualistic purity associated with handling the divine, even from non-Israelites.
• "put the articles of gold... as a guilt offering in a chest by its side": This grouping highlights the substance and purpose of the offering. The "articles of gold" directly link to their suffering, making the offering personal and tangible. Its designation as a "guilt offering" is the Philistines' best (though imperfect) attempt at propitiating the God of Israel based on what they observed and perhaps understood through intermediaries or rumor. The placement "by its side" shows it as accompanying and belonging to the Ark's journey of return.
• "Then send it away that it may go": This phrase details the manner of return – an unsupervised, undirected journey. This is the crucial test (maśśâ) element (similar to Exod 16:4), allowing God to supernaturally guide the animals and demonstrate whether the plagues truly were from Him or from a random occurrence. It highlights the Philistines’ deep desire for an undeniable sign, which God in His sovereignty indeed provided.

1 Samuel 6 8 Bonus section

• The Philistine's use of "new" (cart, cows that had never been yoked, as detailed in the verses immediately preceding this one) signifies an attempt to maintain ceremonial purity and a belief that only something untouched by common use would be acceptable for a sacred task or as an offering to a powerful deity. This resonates with ancient pagan traditions where pure, unblemished, or unused items were reserved for the gods, reflecting a widespread intuition of sanctity.
• The incident here subtly teaches about divine judgment's dual purpose: not only to punish wrongdoing but also to reveal God's identity and authority to those who do not know Him, paving the way for potential repentance or, at the very least, forced acknowledgment.
• This Philistine act of sending votive models of their ailments echoes practices found throughout the ancient world, like those in Sumer, Egypt, and Greece, where representations of diseased body parts or afflicted animals were dedicated to gods in temples to appeal for healing or give thanks. The Israelite God, however, uniquely showed He needed no such inducement; He sovereignly used these familiar pagan practices to achieve His own ends, validating His judgment while condemning their previous idolatry.
• The fact that God orchestrated the Ark's return without any human intervention from Israel's side (as they had lost it ignominiously) emphasizes His complete independence and sovereign control. He is not bound by Israel's unfaithfulness or pagan opposition; He moves as He pleases.

1 Samuel 6 8 Commentary

1 Samuel 6:8 encapsulates a moment of extraordinary divine intervention where a pagan nation, facing overwhelming divine judgment, responds with a blend of their superstitious practices and a surprising appropriation of Israelite religious concepts. The Philistines' command to return the Ark on a new cart, alongside golden effigies as a "guilt offering," is born of both fear and an observable reality—God's severe hand upon them. They did not simply discard the Ark; they performed a ritual, demonstrating a reluctant reverence for the unseen God who inflicted their suffering. Their choice of the term asham, a specific Hebrew offering of restitution, suggests an acknowledgment, however rudimentary, that they had sinned against the God whose Ark they captured.

This act of sending the Ark unsupervised ("that it may go") serves as a critical test, showcasing God's sovereignty over chance and natural phenomena. It provides an undeniable vindication of God's power to the Philistines, who would witness the untrained cows making a direct beeline to Israelite territory, contrary to all natural expectation. The detailed instruction underscores the weight the Philistine priests placed on the correct execution of this unusual atonement. While their offering does not conform to the Levitical law (lacking blood sacrifice, priest, or Israelite understanding of covenant), it stands as a testament to God revealing Himself and requiring accountability even from those outside His covenant people, preparing the way for the Ark's righteous return to His chosen land.