1 Samuel 6:16
New International Version
The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to Ekron.

New Living Translation
The five Philistine rulers watched all this and then returned to Ekron that same day.

English Standard Version
And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.

Berean Standard Bible
And when the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they returned to Ekron that same day.

Berean Literal Bible
And the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, and they returned to Ekron that day.

King James Bible
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

New King James Version
So when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

New American Standard Bible
When the five governors of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.

NASB 1995
When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.

NASB 1977
And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.

Legacy Standard Bible
So the five lords of the Philistines saw it and returned to Ekron that day.

Amplified Bible
When the five lords of the Philistines saw what happened, they returned to Ekron that day.

Berean Annotated Bible
And when the five rulers of the Philistines (immigrants) saw this, they returned to Ekron (torn up by the roots) that same day.

Christian Standard Bible
When the five Philistine rulers observed this, they returned to Ekron that same day.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the five Philistine rulers observed this, they returned to Ekron that same day.

American Standard Version
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

Contemporary English Version
When the five rulers of the Philistines saw what had happened, they went back to Ekron that same day.

English Revised Version
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they went back to Ekron that same day.

Good News Translation
The five Philistine kings watched them do this and then went back to Ekron that same day.

International Standard Version
When the five Philistine lords saw this, they returned to Ekron that very day.

NET Bible
The five leaders of the Philistines watched what was happening and then returned to Ekron on the same day.

New Heart English Bible
When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
And when the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they returned to Ekron that same day.

World English Bible
When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the five princes of the Philistines have seen [it], and return [to] Ekron, on that day.

Berean Literal Bible
And the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, and they returned to Ekron that day.

Young's Literal Translation
and the five princes of the Philistines have seen it, and turn back to Ekron, on that day.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the five princes of Philisteim saw, and they will turn back to Ekron in that day.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the five princes of the Philistines saw, and they returned to Accaron the same day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the five princes of the Philistines saw, and they returned to Ekron on the same day.

New American Bible
After witnessing this, the five Philistine leaders returned to Ekron the same day.

New Revised Standard Version
When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the five Tyrants of the Philistines saw and returned to Akrun on that day
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the five lords of the Philistines saw, and returned to Ascalon in that day.

Additional Translations ...



Context
The Ark Returned to Israel
15And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the chest containing the gold objects, and they placed them on the large rock. That day the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD. 16And when the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they returned to Ekron that same day. 17As a guilt offering to the LORD, the Philistines had sent back one gold tumor for each city: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.…

Cross References
And when the five rulers of the Philistines saw this,

Joshua 13:3
from the Shihor east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—that of the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as that of the Avvites;

Judges 3:3
the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

1 Samuel 5:8
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.
they returned to Ekron

1 Samuel 5:10
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”

1 Samuel 17:52
Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

2 Kings 1:2
Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”
that same day.

Exodus 12:41
At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions went out of the land of Egypt.

Genesis 7:13
On that very day Noah entered the ark, along with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and his wife, and the three wives of his sons—

Genesis 17:23
On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him.
1 Samuel 5:1-12
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, / carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue. / When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. …

1 Samuel 7:1-2
Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD. / And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mournfully sought the LORD.

2 Samuel 6:12-15
Now it was reported to King David, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David with rejoicing. / When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. / And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD, …

1 Chronicles 13:9-14
When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. / And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. / Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, as it is called to this day. …

1 Chronicles 15:25-28
So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom. / And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. / Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the director of music for the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. …

1 Chronicles 16:1-3
So they brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. / When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. / Then he distributed to every man and woman of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

2 Kings 19:35-37
And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. / One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.


Treasury of Scripture

And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

the five

1 Samuel 6:4,12
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…

Joshua 13:3
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

Judges 3:3
Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

they returned

1 Samuel 5:10
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

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Ekron Lords Philistines Princes Rulers Turn
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Ekron Lords Philistines Princes Rulers Turn
1 Samuel 6
1. After seven months the Philistines take counsel how to send back the ark
10. They bring it on a new cart with an offering unto Beth Shemesh
19. The people are smitten for looking into the ark
21. They send to them of Kiriath Jearim to fetch it












And when the five rulers of the Philistines saw this,

The five Philistine rulers—of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron—had accompanied the ark to Israel’s border. They watched the cows bring the cart directly to Beth-shemesh, confirming that Israel’s God had caused Philistia’s afflictions and directed the ark’s return.

Jos 13:3 from the Shihor east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron…
Jdg 3:3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites,…
1Sa 5:8 So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.…

they returned to Ekron

After seeing the ark safely received by the men of Beth-shemesh, the Philistine rulers returned to Ekron. Having feared that the ark would bring further destruction, they regrouped there after the ordeal.

1Sa 5:10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived,…
1Sa 17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward…
2Ki 1:2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room…

that same day.

Their immediate departure reflects the fear produced by the judgments they had endured and their recognition that the God of Israel had acted against them.

Exo 12:41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day…
Gen 7:13 On that very day Noah entered the ark, along with his sons…
Gen 17:23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Five Rulers of the Philistines
These were the leaders of the Philistine cities, responsible for the governance and military decisions of their respective regions. They played a crucial role in the events surrounding the Ark of the Covenant.

2. Philistines
A significant group of people in the Old Testament, often in conflict with Israel. They captured the Ark of the Covenant, leading to a series of divine judgments upon them.

3. Ekron
One of the five major Philistine cities. It was the final destination of the Ark before the Philistines decided to return it to Israel due to the calamities they faced.

4. Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest that held the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Its presence symbolized God's covenant with Israel and His divine presence among them.

5. Return of the Ark
The event where the Philistines, after suffering plagues, decided to return the Ark to Israel, acknowledging the power of the God of Israel.
Teaching Points
Acknowledging God's Sovereignty
The Philistines' decision to return the Ark demonstrates an acknowledgment of God's power. We should recognize God's sovereignty in our lives and respond with reverence and obedience.

Consequences of Disobedience
The plagues that afflicted the Philistines serve as a reminder of the consequences of opposing God's will. We should strive to align our actions with God's commands to avoid spiritual and moral pitfalls.

Repentance and Restoration
The return of the Ark symbolizes a form of repentance and the desire for restoration. In our lives, we should seek to restore our relationship with God through repentance and faith.

God's Presence and Guidance
The Ark represented God's presence and guidance for Israel. We should seek God's presence in our lives through prayer, scripture, and fellowship with other believers.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 6:16?

2. How does 1 Samuel 6:16 demonstrate God's power over the Philistines?

3. What can we learn about God's holiness from 1 Samuel 6:16?

4. How does this verse connect to God's sovereignty in other Scriptures?

5. How should we respond to witnessing God's power as in 1 Samuel 6:16?

6. What actions can we take to honor God's presence in our lives?

7. What significance do the Philistine rulers' actions in 1 Samuel 6:16 hold for understanding divine intervention?

8. How does 1 Samuel 6:16 illustrate the theme of God's sovereignty over nations?

9. What archaeological evidence supports the events described in 1 Samuel 6:16?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 6?


(16) They returned to Ekron.--The five Philistine princes, when they had watched the strange scene from a distance, returned; their mission was accomplished, and the question solved as to the source of the plagues which had visited their country.

Verse 16. - They returned to Ekron the same day. The lords of the Philistines would of course take no part in this rejoicing, but, having seen the ark restored, and the people busied in making preparations for the sacrifice, returned immediately home.

1 Samuel 6:16 records the Philistine rulers witnessing the ark’s peaceful reception, recognizing the end of God’s judgment, and promptly departing for Ekron. Their swift, collective retreat testifies to the LORD’s supremacy over pagan powers and underscores the wisdom of immediate obedience when confronted with His unmistakable hand.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And when the five
וַחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה (wa·ḥă·miš·šāh)
Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 2568: Five

rulers
סַרְנֵֽי־ (sar·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5633: An axle, a peer

of the Philistines
פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים (p̄ə·liš·tîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

had seen [this],
רָא֑וּ (rā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7200: To see

they returned
וַיָּשֻׁ֥בוּ (way·yā·šu·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to Ekron
עֶקְר֖וֹן (‘eq·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6138: Ekron -- a Philistine city

that same
הַהֽוּא׃ (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

day.
בַּיּ֥וֹם (bay·yō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day


Additonal Resources
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OT History: 1 Samuel 6:16 When the five lords of the Philistines (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)

1 Samuel 6:15
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