1 Samuel 6:20

20 The men of Beit-Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

1 Samuel 6:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 6:20

And the men of Bethshemesh said, who is able to stand before
this holy Lord God?
&c.] The Targum is,

``before the ark of this holy Lord God;''

which is said either by way of complaint of the severity of God, and the strictness of his justice; or in reverence of his holiness, acknowledging their imperfection, sin, and guilt, by reason of which they could not stand before him; nor can any, but on account of the mercy seat over the ark, or through Christ, his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice:

and to whom shall he go up from us?
that is, the ark, the symbol of God's presence, which they seem to be desirous of parting with; being unworthy of it, and conscious of their impurity in comparison of God that dwelt in it; and of their weakness to give the honour and reverence that was due unto it; and yet they knew not who were fit for it, or would choose to receive it, because of the danger they were liable to through every inadvertency in them, and irreverence of that.

1 Samuel 6:20 In-Context

18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Pelishtim belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD, [which stone remains] to this day in the field of Yehoshua the Beit-Shimshite.

19 He struck of the men of Beit-Shemesh, because they had looked into the teivah of the LORD, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter.

20 The men of Beit-Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

21 They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiryat-Ye`arim, saying, The Pelishtim have brought back the ark of the LORD; come you down, and bring it up to you.