1 Samuel 6:1

1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

1 Samuel 6:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 6:1

And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines
seven months.
] Or "in the field" ^F3 of the Philistines; hence Procopius Gazaeus observes, that none of the cities daring to receive the ark, they left it without under the open air, so thinking they should be delivered from their calamity. But the word is often used for country, and is generally so understood here; the Targum is,

``in the cities of the Philistines;''

in one or other of them, first for a while in Ashdod, and then for some time in Gath, and last in Ekron, and in all seven months from the time of its being taken; and it being in wheat harvest when it was returned, ( 1 Samuel 6:13 ) , these seven months will carry us back to the beginning of winter, or towards the end of autumn, when the battles between Israel and the Philistines were fought, and the ark was taken. Josephus ^F4 says it was with the Philistines four months only, contrary to the text.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F3 (hdvb) (en agrw) , Sept. "in agro", Pagninus, Montanus.
F4 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 1. sect. 4.

1 Samuel 6:1 In-Context

1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us with what we shall send it to its place.

3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass-offering: then ye will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

4 Then said they, What [shall be] the trespass-offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, [according to] the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague [was] on you all, and on your lords.

5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory to the God of Israel: it may be he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.