1 Samuel 6:20

20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, "Who is able to stand before this holy LORD 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 Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel whereon they set down the ark of the LORD, which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.

19 And He smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD; even He smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men. And the people lamented because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, "Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall He go up from us?"

21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD. Come ye down and fetch it up to you."