1 Samuel 5 Footnotes

5:6 How could the ark of the covenant’s presence in a city cause an outbreak of tumors? The Bible does not tell us how God did this miracle, only that he did it. The Philistine diviners’ mention of mice in 6:4-5, as well as the Septuagint’s reading for this verse, implies that God may have brought this about by working through nature, using mice to spread a devastating plague at just the right time and location. Through the centuries rodents have often been responsible for the spread of disease among humans. The incident demonstrated the Lord’s superiority over both the Philistines and their “god,” and revealed that the Philistines’ victory on the battlefield was not the result of the Lord’s weakness. Instead, it was a judgment against Israel’s disobedience to God. Ultimately it would result in his further glorification.