1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 29models would trigger sympathetic magic. By sending the models out of their country theyhoped the tumors and mice would depart too.Yahweh had reduced the fertility of the crops of the Philistines as well as afflicting thepeople and their gods (v. 5). The Philistines remembered that this is what Yahweh haddone to the Egyptians earlier (v. 6). The priests counselled the people not to harden theirhearts as Pharaoh had done. Hardening the heart only brings divine retribution (cf. Josh.7:19).Milch cows (vv. 7, 10) are cows that are still nursing their calves. It would be veryunusual for nursing cows to leave their young and head for a town some 10 miles away.Indeed the Philistines regarded this behavior as miraculous and indicative that Yahwehhad been punishing them.2. The return of the ark to Bethshemesh 6:10-18Bethshemesh was the closest Israelite town to Ekron. It stood about 12 miles eastsoutheastof Ekron. To get there the cows walked east up the Sorek Valley, Samson'shome area. Evidently the Israelites, who were reaping their wheat harvest (in June) whenthe ark appeared, remembered that only Levites were to handle the ark (Num. 4:15-20; v.15). Bethshemesh was a Levitical town (Josh 21:13-16; 1 Chron. 6:57-59), so Leviteswere probably nearby. Even though the ark had been absent from Israel for seven monthsGod had not removed His blessing of fertile crops from His chosen people during thattime. This indicates His grace.3. The removal of the ark to Kiriath-jearim 6:19—7:1Not all the people who later assembled to see the ark were as careful as those fromBethshemesh, however. The Mosaic Law specified that no one was to look into the ark orthat person would die (Num. 4:5, 20; cf. 2 Sam. 6:6-7). The number of the slain (50,070,v. 19) may represent an error a scribe made as he copied the text 80 , though there is strongtextual support for the large number. Several Hebrew manuscripts omit 50,000, andJosephus mentioned only 70 fatalities. 81 Perhaps 70 men died, as the NIV and severalother modern translations state."The basic point at issue in this verse is that God will brook no irregularityin his people's treatment of the sacred ark (cf. 2 Sa. 6:6f.). 82"The power of God was not something that Israel somehow tamed andconfined in a box, any more than modern man can banish God to thechurches, chapels and cathedrals they take care never to frequent." 8380 See John Davis, Biblical Numerology, pp. 87-89.81 Josephus, 6:1:4.82 Gordon, p. 103.83 Payne, p. 35.