1 Samuel 6:19
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
1 Samuel 6:19
19 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, 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.
Chapter Context
1 Samuel 6 is a biographical narrative chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of sacrifice, obedience, redemption. Written during the transition to monarchy (c. 1050-1010 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Israel transitioned from tribal confederacy to monarchy while facing Philistine military pressure.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-21: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it addresses timeless questions about faith, suffering, and divine purpose. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within 1 Samuel and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
1 Samuel 6:19
19 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, 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.
Analysis
And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, 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.
The narrative takes a devastating turn. The Hebrew 'ra'ah' (to look, gaze) combined with the preposition 'be' (into) suggests more than casual glancing - this was intrusive inspection, perhaps opening the Ark to view its contents. Such presumption violated explicit commands (Numbers 4:20) that even Levites must not look upon holy objects. The number 'fifty thousand and seventy' has puzzled interpreters - Beth-shemesh likely could not have supported such a population. Some Hebrew manuscripts read 'seventy men, fifty of a thousand' (seventy leading men), while others suggest textual corruption. Regardless of the exact count, the 'great slaughter' (makkah gedolah) demonstrated that proximity to holiness without proper reverence brings death, not blessing. The same Ark that defeated Dagon now strikes Israelites who treat it casually.
Historical Context
Beth-shemesh was a modest town; population estimates for Israelite villages rarely exceed a few thousand. The textual difficulty with the number has generated various solutions: scribal error, idiomatic expression, or cumulative plague deaths over time. The Septuagint omits 'fifty thousand,' reading simply 'seventy men.'
Reflection
- What does this judgment teach about the relationship between God's grace and His holiness?
- How do believers today sometimes treat sacred things with dangerous casualness?
Word Studies
- Lord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai) H3068 - The LORD / Lord
Cross-References
- References Lord: Exodus 19:21, 2 Samuel 6:7
- Parallel theme: Numbers 4:15, 4:20, Colossians 2:18