What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 6:17? As a guilt offering to the LORD • The Philistines recognize that the plague of tumors (1 Samuel 5:6–12) came from “the hand of the LORD,” so they follow the advice of their priests: “Return a guilt offering to Him, and you will be healed” (1 Samuel 6:3). • A guilt offering addresses wrongdoing and seeks both forgiveness and restitution; see the pattern in Leviticus 5:14-19 and Numbers 5:6-7. • Even pagan nations are accountable to the LORD; compare Pharaoh humbled in Exodus 9:27 and Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:34-37. • By calling it a “guilt offering,” Scripture shows that God demanded real repentance, not mere superstition. the Philistines had sent back • After seven months of affliction, they decide “to send it back to its place” (1 Samuel 6:2). Their action echoes the Egyptians urging Israel to leave (Exodus 12:31-33). • Returning the ark on a new cart pulled by cows (1 Samuel 6:7-12) highlights their urgency and fear. • They do more than remove the ark; they return valuables as compensation, acknowledging that the LORD is not like their idols (1 Samuel 4:7-8). • God’s sovereignty over every nation is underscored in passages such as Psalm 22:28 and Acts 17:26-27. one gold tumor • Gold pictures costly repentance; compare “gold bowls full of incense” in worship (Revelation 5:8). • Each gold tumor mirrors the physical tumors God sent (1 Samuel 6:4). The offering matches the offense—an eye-opening lesson on specific confession. • Symbolic offerings appear elsewhere: bronze serpent (Numbers 21:9) and Isaiah walking barefoot as a sign (Isaiah 20:2-4). • The material is precious, yet it cannot purchase forgiveness; only obedience to God’s revealed will can restore favor (Micah 6:6-8). for each city • Individual accountability matters: “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). • Five identical gifts stress that no city could hide behind another’s repentance; see Joshua 7:1 for the danger of shared guilt. • Matching plague to place recalls the deliberate judgments of Revelation 16, where each bowl targets a specific area. • Corporate sin demands corporate response; Jonah 3 shows Nineveh’s city-wide repentance as a positive parallel. Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron • These five form the Philistine pentapolis (Joshua 13:3). Each is named to underline the total scope of God’s dealings. – Ashdod housed Dagon’s temple, where the idol fell before the ark (1 Samuel 5:1-5). – Gaza was the city Samson once carried away gates from (Judges 16:1-3). – Ashkelon later hears David’s lament over Saul (2 Samuel 1:20). – Gath produced Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) and later sheltered David (1 Samuel 27:2-3). – Ekron cried out in fear when the ark arrived (1 Samuel 5:10-12). • Listing every city shows God’s concern for specific peoples and places; compare Jesus naming Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for judgment (Luke 10:13-15). • Amos 1:6-8 prophesies further judgment on these same cities, proving that partial obedience now did not exempt them from future accountability. summary 1 Samuel 6:17 records a concrete, costly acknowledgment of guilt by a pagan nation. Each phrase teaches: the offering was directed to the LORD, voluntarily returned, precisely matched to the plague, accounted for every city, and named each member of the Philistine league. The verse illustrates that God’s holiness demands restitution, His sovereignty extends beyond Israel, and genuine repentance must be specific and thorough. |
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