A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 1 Samuel · Chapter 6
1 Sam. CHAP. VI.
CHapter the Sixth Relateth the Reſtitution of the Ark of God by the Philiſtines to Iſrael. Remarks upon this Reſtitution are,
Firſt, The Time when it was Reſtored: Namely, after it had been kept in Captivity for Seven Months, v. 1.
N. B. This was but a ſmall time of the Philiſtines Triumph over the Captive Ark, to ſhew that the Triumph of the wicked is ſhort, Job 20.5. As on the other hand the Troubles of the Godly are but for a Moment, Iſa. 10.25. and 54.8, &c. Yet God reſerves Everlaſting Loving kindneſs for them in a better World. But how little Joy had thoſe Philiſtines in their Trophies of Triumph over the Ark of God? God ſoon altered their Jovial Scene, and turned their Mad Merriments into moſt ſad Moans and Mournings; their Laughter within a few days was changed into moſt Doleful Lamentation, &c.
N. B. The Hebrew reads it [The Ark of the Lord was in the Field of the Philiſtines] v. 1. when the Plagues of God were upon them, that they found the Ark too hot for their private Houſes to hold it as a Priſoner; they then ſet it in their Open Fields, and thereupon were they ſo Plagued again with Mice and Moles, (ſay the Rabbins;) that theſe Vermin turned up their Grounds, and ſo devoured their Grain, even in the very time of Harveſt, v. 13. That after all the former Plagues upon their Perſons, this Plague upon their Corn in Countrey-Fields ſtrikes them with a freſh fear, that now they were endangered to be deſtroyed by a grievous Famine: Now they Reſolve to return the Ark.
The Second Remark is, The ſerious Conſultation about the Ark's Reſtoration; managed by the Princes of the Philiſtines with their Prieſts; (whom, though they were Idolaters, they had in great Veneration,) and the Princes would act nothing without Advice from their Prieſts, v. 2, 3, 4, 5, &c. wherein is.
N. B. Firſt, The Princes or Lords of the Philiſtines Queſtion, 'tis not whether ſhall we ſend it away? For that was reſolved to be done before, Chap. 5.11. though they were loth to loſe ſo great a prize, and had kept it Seven Months in hope that their Plagues might in that time ceaſe; yet were they ſtill Plagued into a willingneſs to part with ſo Rich a ſpoil; Though unwilling enough to gratifie Iſrael (their Enemy) ſo far as to return it, which was their chief Confidence.
N. B. Though there were ſome Oppoſers of theſe Five Lords Decree of ſending the Ark back, as is intimated, v. 6. who are exhorted not to harden their Hearts as Pharaoh had done to his own deſtruction, becauſe it would be a reproach to their Nation; yet were they over voted, and therefore 'tis ſaid here, [What ſhall we do to it?] Not [What ſhall we do with it?] Nor do the Lords ſay, [Whither, but wherewith ſhall we ſend it?] Knowing that the Manner of the Action might marr the Matter, though it were good.
N. B. The Prieſts Anſwer to the Princes Queſtion was; 1. Send it not empty, v. 3. The Light of Nature taught them, that a Preſent was neceſſary. This in General. (2.) In Special: There muſt be a Treſpaſs Offering to appeaſe the diſpleaſed God, and this muſt be made of the beſt Metal, Gold, and the form of it muſt be the Figure of their Buttocks, the place of the Plague of Emrods, and of the Mice that marr'd their Land.
N. B. Yea and as to the number of thoſe Treſpaſs Offerings, there muſt be five of each; Anſwerable to the Five Lords of the Philiſtines.
N. B. All theſe Offerings were not only Superſtitious, but alſo very Rediculous; ſuggeſted (as ſome ſuppoſe) by Satan to thoſe Prieſts in contempt of the God of Iſrael: For thoſe Diviners (as they are called, v. 2.) did undoubtedly deal with the Devil.
N. B. However the Providence of God overſhot Satan in his own Bow, and overruled this deſigned ſcorn to his own glory, cauſing them to give him the Honour in Gold, in thoſe very things wherein they had the pain in Fleſh, and making them truckle ſo far as to purchaſe his favour with the beſt of their Metals. In all acknowledging that their Plagues were not by Chance but from the Lord, whoſe diſpleaſure they ſought to pacifie.
The Third Remark is, The Auxiliaries propoſed alſo by theſe Philiſtine Prieſts for tranſporting the Ark from Philiſtia into Judea: (1.) A New Cart muſt be made; And (2.) Two Milch Kine never yoaked muſt be tyed to this New Cart, and their Calves muſt be brought home from them, v. 7.
N. B. For them to draw the Cart from their Calves to a ſtrange Country, was notoriouſly againſt the common Courſe of Nature, that below a Miracle it could not be done; and would rather have proved an hindrance than an Auxiliary means or furtherance of the Ark homeward to Iſrael.
N. B. Nay 'tis a wonder theſe two Ʋntamed Heifers did not break both Cart, Ark, and the Box of Preſents all to pieces to be at their Calves.
N. B. But behold a Beam of Omnipotency, the Natural inclinations and the precipitant motions of the Creature, are over-ruled by the ſupernatural and irreſiſtible influence of the great Creator.
The Fourth Remark is, The putting into practice this project of thoſe Prieſts; all was done by the Princes according to the Prieſts preſcriptions, and all in a pretence of Reverence and Veneration to the Ark of God, and to make an experiment whether their Plagues came caſually upon them by the Influence of the Stars, or they were indeed inflicted upon them by the God of Iſrael; if ſo, then he would Lighten his Hand from off them, upon the Succeſs of this Attempt, v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
Joſephus ſaith here, that they ſet the Kine with the Cart [in trivio abſ que Auriga inſtigatore, &c.] in a place where three ways met, and without a Carter to drive and direct them.
N. B. Indeed 'tis ſaid the Lords of the Philiſtines went after them, but not with them, to guide the Kine in the right way: For though thoſe Lords pretended to be as Pages in honour to Gods Ark, which they followed as its Servants for its more honourable diſmiſſion; yet in truth they did it to prevent all impoſtures by others; and that themſelves might be the more aſſured of the reality of this miraculous event. This they ſaw with their own Eyes [That the Kine took the ſtrait way to Bethſhemeſh, all along Lowing for their Calves left behind them; not turning either to the Right Hand or Left.] God manifeſtly appearing to be the guide of them in this courſe ſo contrary to their Natures, and not driven forcibly end-ways by any Man driver.
N. B. Let us here with Moſes in Exod. 3.2, 3. Turn aſide to behold this great wonder. 'Tis a very great wonder that God would thus gratifie thoſe Idolatrous Philiſtines with ſuch a Miraculous Sign, when they thus tempted him to decide their doubts about the Original of their Plagues, upon ſuch a meer contingency as was this Caſe; when as it was more probable that God would rather puniſh their Superſtition and harden their Hearts ſtill to their utter deſtruction.
N. B. 'Tis a wonder that the Philiſtines were not all cut off (as the Bethſhemites were here, v. 19.) when they firſt laid their foul Hands upon it, when they firſt took it Captive; and now again, when they Carted the Ark (though upon a new Cart;) ſeeing the Lord made a breach upon David for his doing the very ſelf ſame thing, 2 Sam. 6.3.
N. B. No Reaſon can be rendred for this ſeverity of God againſt his Servants, and his indulgency towards his Enemies, but this, God confers greater priviledges upon his own People, and therefore if they Tranſgreſs againſt all their Light and Love, &c. he infers greater puniſhments upon them, as Amos 3.2. David and the Bethſhemites had the Light of the Law of God by them, and therefore ſinned more againſt knowledge than thoſe poor blind ignorant Philiſtines could do: Therefore God did not only ſpare them in Carting his Ark, but alſo condeſcended to work this Miracle for their Conviction: More eſpecially, it being a work that ſo much concerned his own Glory, and the comfort of his poor People Iſrael; who now looked upon themſelves as forlorn and forſaken of God, the pawn of his Preſence being ſo long loſt to them, as the Ark was abſent for Seven Months from them.
N. B. In which doleful Day God's People could not but look upon all their other Comforts as ſo many Ichabod's, while God's Ark (Iſrael's Glory) was abſent from them. Therefore may it well be ſuppoſed God wrought this Miracle, not only for convincing the Superſtitious Philiſtines, but alſo, and more eſpecially for comforting his Diſconſolate Iſraelites that lamented after the Lord, and after his Ark.
N. B. Nor do we find that God rejected thoſe ſhameful preſents of thoſe ſinful Philiſtines, whereby he might ſeem to be rather diſhonoured than glorified with a figure of their ſecret and unſeemly parts, in which their Emrods were fixed, becauſe this alſo did proclaim God's Glory, and did perpetuate the ſin and ſhame of the Ʋncircumciſed among the Lord's People, who could not but upon this occaſion the more deride and deſpiſe them, whom God had thus ſtigmatiz'd with ſuch an Ignominious a Diſeaſe, and whom themſelves had thus branded with ſuch loathſome Portraitures, &c.
N. B. Thoſe Kine Lowing all along as they went to Bethſhemeſh (which ſignifies the Houſe of the Sun) doth repreſent the moaning Chriſtian in his Motion to the Houſe of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, groaning and crying all along, Oh Wretched Man, who ſhall deliver me! Rom. 7.24.
The Fifth Remark is, The Arks Reduction to Bethſhemeſh, in its way to Shiloh, v. 13, 14, 15, &c. and its Reception by the Bethſhemites.
Firſt, Honourably, which is expreſs'd by their rejoycing to behold it, by their running to meet it, leaving their Harveſt-work in the Field behind them, and as it were crying to it, [Oh Welcome, Welcome! we loſt our Glory, when we loſt thee, long Seven Months have we wanted thee, and ſhame hath covered our Faces all this tedious time; but now, Oh, bleſt be God, that thou art returned to take away our Reproach!]
N. B. After this manner Bethſhemeſh (a City of Judah) rejoyced at the return of the Ark; thus far they did well, and had they not afterward received it Irreverently (as now they did Honourably) they had not ſmarted ſo ſeverely, as in v. 19. nor was this all in their Rejoycings.
But Bethſhemeſh (being a City given to the Prieſts, Joſh. 21.16.) had them ready to take down the Ark of God, and to make the Kine and the Cart (neither of which could be put to any common uſe, both of them being Conſecrated to God by bearing his Ark) to be a Burnt-Offering to the Lord, as a Teſtimony of their thankfulneſs to him for redeeming the Ark out of the Philiſtines hands, and for his returning it to Iſrael.
N. B. And they took down alſo the Coffer, wherein the Golden Mice and Emrods were contained (for ſuch was the Philiſtines Reverence to the Ark, that they durſt not open it to put their Jewels of Gold therein, but put them in a Coffer diſtinct from it) theſe probably were preſerved by the Iſraelites for a laſting Monument and Memorial of the Philiſtines ſhame, who had alway after an Implacable Hatred againſt Iſrael.
N. B. Upon the ſame account the Cenſers of Korah, and his Complices were kept for a Memorial with ſome ſmall alteration, Numb. 16.40. from whence ſome ſuppoſe, that thoſe ridiculous Preſents (which the Philiſtines fondly call'd Jewels) were not allowed to abide in that diſgraceful form, but the Gold of both might ſerve to make Golden Veſſels for the Sanctuary, &c.
The Sixth Remark is, The Return of the five Philiſtine Lords back to Ekron the ſame day, v. 16. namely, when they had beheld with Amazement that prodigious Providence of God, in carrying the Cart and Kine with the Ark home, ſo contrary to the courſe of Nature into its own Countrey, and the joyful Entertainment the Ark found there, they ſtaying ſo long, as to ſee the Ark taken down, and their own Coffer of Jewels accepted, then haſten they home to tell all theſe Tidings, which were enough to Convince them, but not effectual to Convert them, for they ſtill retained their old Malice againſt God's People, as it appeareth afterwards, Chap. 7.3, 7, 8.
N. B. Thoſe are the worſt ſort of Miſcreants among Men, that know good, yet do evil; theſe Lords had ſeen a Beam of God's Omnipotency, yet return'd to their Idolatry, &c.
The Seventh Remark is, The Arks ſad diſmiſſion from Bethſhemeſh, after its glad Reception there, v. 19, 20, 21. The cauſe why was, The Curioſity both of Princes, Prieſts and People, in peeping into the Ark of God, which was not to be done upon pain of death, Numb. 4.20.
N. B. And no doubt but their preſumption of prying into the Ark, might be grounded from a Jealouſie, that the Philiſtines had taken ſomething out of it, or put ſomething into it, while it lay Captive Seven Months in their Hands; and this opportunity might make them over-deſirous to view the Tables of the Law of Moſes, which they never had ſeen, nor ever were like to ſee after the Ark came into the Holy of Holies, where they might not approach; beſide, they thought they might preſume the more, becauſe the Ark had been polluted by the hands of the Philiſtines, who, for any thing they knew) were not puniſhed for ſo doing, and now it was expoſed to publick View; therefore having this occaſion they might make the bolder with it. But Oh! How dear did theſe Men pay for their preſumptuous prying and peeping, Fifty Thouſand and Seventy loſt their Lives for ſo doing!
N. B. No ſuch Severity God ſhew'd to the Philiſtines, becauſe they knew not his Law, as his Iſraelites did, or might do: If Ʋzzah do but touch the Ark, he dies for it, 2 Sam. 6.7. 1 Chron. 13.10. but Philiſtines may hand it into a Cart, and not die: If Ananias, &c. commit Sacrilege, Peter puniſhes him with Death, Acts 5.5. but ſo he did not to Simon Magus, Acts 8.20. God expects more from his People, than from Aliens.
N. B. 'Twas a marvelous good Providence, that the Lords of the Philiſtines were gone; had they ſeen this ſeverity, it would have harden'd their Hearts more. Some Object here and ſay,
Firſt, That it is improbable ſuch a vaſt number of Men ſhould be found in ſo ſmall a City as Bethſhemeſh was, then the Living had not been ſo many as to Bury the Dead: Hereupon Joſephus ſaith with other Rabbins, that only Seventy were ſlain, &c. which though it ſeem but a ſmall number, yet might be call'd a great Slaughter, either from the ſmalneſs of the place, or from the quality of the Perſons, thoſe being their principal Men; nor could ſo many as Fifty Thouſand, &c. all peep into the Ark.
Anſwer 1. To find fault with the Teſtimony of the Scripture of Truth, is of dangerous Conſequence, giving advantage to the Anti-Scripturiſts, that do too Atheiſtically deny its Authority, &c.
Anſwer 2. All thoſe peepers were not only the Bethſhemites, but alſo from all other adjacent parts; therefore the Text ſaith, [God ſmote of the People,] not of the Citizens of that City, for without all queſtion, a great Concourſe from all parts of that Countrey could not but run and be there to behold the loſt Ark reſtored, to make up ſo great a number.
Anſwer 3. So many might take time to peep ſucceſſively; but ſuppoſe all did not ſo, yet were ſlain, they might deſerve Death for other ſins known to God, though unknown to Men; who may account thoſe Innocent, whom the Lord reckons heinouſly guilty: God's Judgments ought not to be cenſured by us; for though they be ſometimes ſecret, yet are they always juſt.
Objection 2. This ſeems too much ſeverity for ſo ſmall a ſin as this was?
Anſwer 1. The City of Bethſhemeſh (which ſignifies the Houſe of the Sun) was now under ſuch an Eclipſe and darkneſs, as peeviſhly to think that God was over-ſtrict, laying the blame all upon God, and none upon their ſins, v. 20. and therefore deſire to diſmiſs the Ark as the cauſe of this Rigour: David himſelf had ſomething of this ſin, 2 Sam. 6.8, 9. and the Gadarins much more, Matth. 8.54.
Anſwer 2. God always ſhews moſt ſeverity in puniſhing his own People, eſpecially in matters that immediately concern'd his Worſhip, and Men are not competent Judges, becauſe we underſtand not the unſearchable Reaſons of his Judgments, [Who hath been God's Counſellor, &c?] Rom. 11.33, 34. we ought not to ſearch into God's Secrets, which belong to him only, Deut. 29.29. Hic oportet mirari, non rimari; we may better admire than expreſs them, and we ought not to reprehend, what we cannot comprehend: The Philoſopher could ſay, [Nihil intereſſe, pedes nò quiſquam, an Oculos in clienâ domo ponat:] 'Tis as unmannerly a trick to pry into another Man's Houſe with his Eyes, as to preſs into it with his Feet: How much more unlawful was this prying and peeping into the Secrets of God, ſo expreſly againſt God's Law? Numb. 4.15, 18, 19, 20. Arcana Dei, ſunt Arca Dei: The Secrets of God ought not to be ſearched into, leſt we ſmart for it as they did, Eorum quae ſcire nec datur, nec fas eſt, docta eſt ignorantia, ſaith Calvin; As 'tis a Learned Ignorance not to know what is unrevealed, ſo 'tis a ſort of madneſs to pry into them.
N. B. The Bethſhemites here take care to rid their hands of the Ark, which they ſhould have more reverently retained, and therefore requeſts Kiriath Jearim (a more Religious City) to ſend for it, v. 21. pretending it was too nigh the Philiſtines, who might fetch it from them, and the rather becauſe it was in the way to Shilo, &c. but intending only their own ſafety.