1 samuel 6:17 - These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

Generated Verse: 1 samuel 6:17

What does "1 samuel 6:17" mean?


This verse refers to a specific incident in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, chapter 6. To understand it, we need to understand the broader context:

The Ark of the Covenant: The Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, was captured by the Philistines in battle.
Plagues and Tumors: After capturing the Ark, the Philistines were struck with plagues and outbreaks of tumors (or boils, depending on the translation). They believed these afflictions were divine punishment for possessing the Ark.
Consultation with Diviners: The Philistine rulers consulted with their diviners and priests to determine how to appease Yahweh (the God of Israel) and rid themselves of the plagues.
The Trespass Offering: The diviners advised them to return the Ark along with a trespass offering (also called a guilt offering). This offering was meant to atone for their sin of taking the Ark and, presumably, for other offenses against Yahweh.
Golden Images: As part of the trespass offering, the diviners instructed them to create five golden images of the tumors (or boils) that were afflicting them, as well as golden images of mice (since mice were also causing devastation in the land).

Meaning of 1 Samuel 6:17:

"These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;"

"These are the golden tumors...": This refers back to the diviner's instructions that the Philistines should create golden images representing the tumors plaguing them.
"...which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh": This clarifies the purpose of the golden tumors: they were part of a guilt offering intended to appease Yahweh and remove the divine punishment.
"for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one": These are the five major cities of the Philistine Pentapolis (league of five cities). The verse specifies that each of these cities contributed one golden tumor to the overall offering. The implication is that the plague affected all five cities and that each city's representatives participated in the act of atonement.

In Summary: The verse is a descriptive detail within a larger narrative. It highlights the Philistines' attempt to appease Yahweh by offering golden representations of the tumors that were afflicting them and specifies that each of the five major Philistine cities contributed one of these images to the offering. This shows the widespread impact of the plague and the collective guilt felt by the Philistine cities.

What categories does "1 samuel 6:17" have?