Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · 1 Samuel · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
THe Arke having continued in the Philistims Countrey seven moneths, they V. 1.at length advise with their Priests and Diviners about the sending of it back again to Israel. If it bee demanded why the Philistims kept the Arke so long, being so sore smitten: It is answered, they thought in time their plagues might bee asswaged, and then they purposed to have kept it still, but now seeing the punishment continued, they perceived that hope to bee vaine. A judgment Genev. notes.came to them by the Arke, and no benefit, so the Gospel turneth to the Note. condemnation of the wicked, amongst whom it is preached.
Their Diviners both direct them to send the Arke back with five golden V. 3, 4, 5.Emerods, and five golden Mice for a trespasse-offering, and earnestly exhort them not to harden themselves, as did Pharaoh; for besides the plague of Emerods, Mice marred their Countrey. In this consultation there were three diverse opinions, saith Josephus: 1 That the Arke was to bee sent back. Josephus.2 That because God suffered the Arke to come into their hands, hee had no such care thereof, and therefore this plague was not to bee imputed to the Ark detained amongst them, but to other causes, and over a while would cease againe; and that it was not to bee sent back againe, which were dishonourable to the Philistims. 3 That a middle way was to bee taken, neither to detaine it, nor to send it away, but to put the offerings here mentioned into it, and so to set it upon a cart to bee drawne by two young Cowes, whither they would, and this prevailed. In that speaking here of a trespasse-offering, they use the word foreign which signifieth a lighter sinne, and not foreign signifying a greater; Peter Martyr noteth, that they thought their sinne in carrying the Arke Peter Martyr.away, but small, which indeed was very great. And for the things given for a trespasse-offering, he saith, by making the figures of Emerods and Mice, they set up, as it were, a monument of their, and their Gods being subdued by the God of Israel, and of his power in smiting and healing them againe, as they hoped would follow hereupon; and therefore it is added, And yee shall give glory to the God of Israel, for then is glory given to him, when his power is acknowledged to bee over all. For these words, v. 3. Then yee shall bee healed, and it shall bee knowne unto you, why his hand is not removed from you: Junius Iunius.hath it, or it shall bee knowne; that is, if yee bee not healed, it will appeare to bee a chance, as v. 9. but the word more properly signifieth, and it shall bee Lyra.knowne; that is, according to Lyra and others, when the Arke being carryed away, yee shall bee made well againe, it will appeare that his hand was against you hitherto by reason of the Arke taken and detained. For the meanes of trying, whether hee smote them or no, it is deferred to bee spoken of till v. 9. here it being taken for granted, that hee smote them, as they verily held, healing is promised, as most certainly to ensue after the Arkes departure, whereupon they are exhorted not to harden their hearts, v. 6. there that meane of tryall is propounded to convince them all.
Make a new cart, and take two milch Kine, on which never yet came yoke, V. 7, 8, 9.and fasten them to the cart, and bring their calves home, and lay the Arke upon the cart, &c. As Balaam and Caiaphas, so these Diviners were unwittingly led herein by the Spirit of God to set downe a right way of tryall. For if Kine having calves that went with them, and never used to draw before, should of themselves draw this cart with the Arke, and that a contrary way to that which nature commonly inclineth beasts having young unto, it would plainely appeare that there was a Divine power whereby they were led, which would have the Arke brought home againe to his proper place, and was offended that it was hitherto from thence detained.
According to the advice of these Diviners it was done, and as Josephus hath V. 10.it, the Kine were brought to a three way leet, to try which way they would take, and they tooke the way to Bethshemesh. God would not have them draw the Arke, saith P. Martyr, back to Shiloh, because that place had been corrupted Peter Martyr.with the sins of Eli's children, but to Bethshemesh, which was a City of Levites, Josh. 21. 16. This, saith one, was from Ekron 12 miles, and within 4 miles of H. Bunting Patriar. travailes.Jerusalem; and the first carrying of the Arke from Aphek by the Philistims to Ashdod, was 160 miles. When the Ark was come to Bethshemesh, they of that place being in their wheat harvest, saw it, and rejoyced; And the Cart came into V. 13, 14.the field of Joshua, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the Kine for a burnt-offering to the Lord. This stone, saith Comestor, is thought by some to have been an Altar which Abraham Schol. Histor.made unto the Lord, it is called the great stone Abel, v. 18. and it is said both there, and v. 15. that the Levites tooke downe the Arke, and the Coffer, and golden Jewells, and set them upon this stone, Hebr. it is Abel the great, v. 18. and not the great stone of Abel, whereupon some, saith Comestor, doe conjecture, that Abel was not the name of the stone, but of the City Bethshemesh, so called for the great mourning there for the ensuing destruction, for Abel signifieth mourning; and if so, then it is to bee read, They set the Arke by or neare to Abel, upon the stone before-mentioned, which is there till this day. Lyra Lyra.saith, that the great stone before spoken of, is called great Abel, because of the mourning that was made there, Aben signifying a stone, being changed into Abel, mourning, by the change of one letter onelyonly. Junius thinketh that Abel Iunius.is put for Aben, a stone. And the Sept. and Chald. doe not read it Abel, but a stone. Osiander thinketh, that the same thing was …alled both Aben and Abel. Osiander.Josephus, for great Abel, hath, the great plaine, for Abel signifieth also a plaine. Josephus.But Arias Montan, and Pagnin agree with Lyra, and that is the best. Whereas they are said to have set the Arke upon that great stone, Comestor saith, besides it, and so it is most probable, because upon the stone they offered their sacrifices.
For their cleaving of the wood of the cart, and offering the Kine in sacrifice, they thought, that being once put to this holy use, and such a miracle being Peter Martyr.wrought in the Kines drawing the Arke thither, they might not bee put to any common use afterwards, and therefore they burnt them in sacrifice. But forsomuch as in the Law males onelyonly are appointed to bee offered in sacrifice, Levit. 22. 19. Chap. 1. 3.these men erred in offering females. For the place, any place was sanctified for sacrificing by the presence of the Arke; and by the standing still of the cart here, this place seemed particularly to bee chosen of God. For the V. 17.gifts given by the Philistims for a trespasse-offering, it was said before, that they were five golden Emerods, and five Mice, v. 4. But here the Emerods are said to bee five, but the Mice, according to the number of all the Cities belonging to the five Lords, both walled Cities, and Countrey villages, whereby it should seeme, that the number of golden Mice was farre greater then of Emerods. Comestor for the clearing of this, saith, according to Isidor, when five Emerods, Schol. Hist.and five Mice are before spoken of, the gifts of five Metropolitan Cities onelyonly are meant; but besides these, all other Cities of the Philistims unto the great Abel, which was the border of their Countrey, gave golden Mice. Lyra Lyra, Hug Card.and Hugo say, that five was the whole number; but all the Cities belonging to the Metropolitans holpe in the expences. But because here is a plaine distinction made between the number of Emerods, and the number of Mice, those were five, for each chiefe City one, but these without any certain number, according to the number of all the Cities of the Philistims, I rather preferre the former exposition.
V. 19. But the Lord smote of the men of Bethshemesh, because they looked into V. 19.the Arke, 50070 men: and it was not onelyonly just, but necessary, saith Rupert, so severely to punish at this time, because there was danger of thinking the Arke more vile and contemptible, after that it had been seven moneths amongst the Philistims, to the detriment of all religion Mosaicall. Besides the cause of this plague alledged, viz. their looking into the Arke against Gods expresse command given, Numb. 4. 15. 20. Lyra yeeldeth three causes more: 1 Their Lyra.foolish joy at the comming of the Arke, proceeding from the lightnesse of their heads, and not from due reverence. 2 Their undue sacrificing of females. 3 Their suffering of the Arke to rest abroad, and not setting up lights before it, nor giving it the due worship. And 70 which were smitten, hee saith, were of the more noble, and 50000 of the common sort, and those 70 are named first, because more worth then all the rest, as David is said to have been more worth then 10000 of the people: and to note a difference betwixt them that were smitten, the Vulg. Latine rendreth it, percussit de populo 70 viros, & 50000 plebis; but the same word foreign is put to both numbers, yet Hebr. 70 are put first, and then 50000; wherefore our Translation erreth in putting the 70 last. Comestor thinketh that the 70 first smitten were those that tooke Schol. Histor.downe the Arke, because they were not Priests but Levites, and so ought not to have touched it till it had been covered, Numb. 4. 15. Pellican agreeth with Pellican.Lyra, in the first of his causes, because they entertained not the Arke with greater reverence, but with shouting, as in harvest; Borrheus in the second: but Borrhaeus.seeing one cause onelyonly is alledged, their looking into the Arke, I rest in that. Theodoret following the Sept translation saith, that some who were addicted to Idols were sorry to see the Arke brought back againe, and so were worthily punished, and the rest of the people, because they would not adventure themselves to goe and recover the Arke by force from the Philistims. Their looking into the Arke, say the Hebrews, was by opening it, and looking into it; but Willet standeth for their beholding it onelyonly; but then it would not have been said foreign but foreign. It is true, to looke upon the Arke uncovered, was death for Levites, or common people, but much more out of curiosity to presume to open it, to see what was therein contained, herein for want of due reverence, even the Priests themselves might bee in danger of destruction. For the number smitten, it is not likely that 70 are put first, because they were more worthy, being either Priests, or Elders, or both, because the word foreign is used signifying the people indifferently; but 70 are put by themselves, because they were of Bethshemesh, and the 50000 of people flocked thither from other parts, when they heard the newes of the Arke returned, and happily many of them were souldiers that lay there in Garison for the defence of the Countrey, because it was a frontier City; so Junius. And indeed it is not Junius.probable, that in one City alone there were so many inhabitants, unlesse it were one of the greatest: and Josephus writeth but of 70 onelyonly of Bethshemesh slaine, who presumed to handle the Arke not being Priests. But why was God so greatly offended for this, that they presumed to looke into the Arke, which they did onelyonly to see what was there? Answ. First, because it might bee a meanes to expose the Arke to contempt, when they should see nothing else but a Chest covered within and without with gold, for what was there in such things to move them to reverence it? Secondly, because there was an expresse command to the contrary, the breach of which God would never suffer to goe unrevenged, as when the people were charged not to come to Mount Sinai to touch it upon paine of death; and our first parents were forbidden to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and evill. For the transgressing of any commandement of God, is not to bee measured by the thing about which it is given, but by the greatnesse of him that giveth it. 3 Because the secret things of the Lord are reserved to himselfe, but the revealed belong to us. It must suffice us to know these onelyonly, and hereafter to come to see and know the rest in the kingdom of heaven, when wee shall bee perfect. So that hee which dareth now to pry into them, sinneth by presumption, and by confounding the times which God hath distinguished. Some have inquired into secrets, saith P. Martyr.Peter Martyr, and yet have been approved, as Abraham and Moses, and the blessed Virgin Mary; but others have been reproved therefore, because the one sort inquired out of faith, that they might bee more confirmed; but the other out of unbeliefe, and God the knower of all hearts judgeth accordingly. If it be demanded, why the Philistims that looked also into the Arke, and handled it, were not likewise smitten? It is answered, they had not the charge given them, but onelyonly the Israelites, and therefore their sin was not so great as the sin of these men.
The people being thus grievously smitten, are full of sorrow and feare, and V. 20, 21.send to the men of Kiriath-jearim to come and take the Arke home to them. This City, saith Lyra, was more noble, and a safer place for the Arke to bee in, Lyra.and therefore they desire that it might bee carryed from them thither. Josephus saith, the men of Bethshemesh sent to all Israel, and by a common consent it was Joseph. Antiq. lib. 6. c. 2.carryed from thence, as a place unworthy for their sinne, to Kiriath-jearim, because Abinadab an holy man dwelt there, and his house was thought most fit for so holy a thing to rest in, and the men of Kiriath-jearim were willing to receive it, say some, because they knew the Bethshemites were idolaters, and therefore unworthy that the Arke should bee with them. This was but two H. Bunt. Patriarchs travailes.miles from Bethshemesh, and was one of the Cities of the Gibeonites, Josh. 9. 17. within the lot of the Tribe of Judah, but given to the Levites. It signifieth a City of Cowes, and stood but one mile from Jerusalem: Here Saul was anointed King by Samuel, and in this place, being called Gods hill, because of the Arke, Saul met a company of Prophets praising God with holy hymnes, and joyned with them in this kinde of prophecying, 1 Sam. 10. And here Jonathan the sonne of Saul thrust out a garrison of the Philistims, which held the men of this place in subjection, 1 Sam. 13. 3. so H. B. in Patriarchs travailes.
Mystically, by the abode of the Arke amongst the Philistims seven moneths, understand the Gospels remaining amongst the Centiles till near the end of the The Mystery. Lyra.world, at what time it shall returne to the Jews again. By the smiting of these men for looking into the Ark unreverently, the smiting of those in the Church that use the sacraments unreverently. And when we suffer thus at Gods hand, we must not, as the men of Bethshemesh, cry out upon Gods severity, but consider our own sins, whereby we deserve it, and judge our selves therefore, and not desire for that wee suffer, to be rid of any holy thing, and to have it removed to another place, but use it more reverently and worthily for time to come… which some not doing, have the Arke taken from them to a people that will bring forth better fruits. If it be demanded why the Arke was not brought back to the Tabernacle in Shiloh again? Answ. Ier. 7. 12. Psal. 78. 60. for the sins of the Priests and people; and therefore it is most probable that God gave direction hereabout by Samuel, although it be not expressed. Rupert saith, that mystically hereby was figured out the synagogue of the Jews, which should afterwards be rejected, and that holy thing Christ removed from them.