1 Samuel 6:3

1Sa 6:3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

Ver. 3. If ye send away the ark.] Which they were full loath to do, but that they could neither will nor choose, and therefore kept it seven months, in hope that in some time their plagues might assuage, and they might keep from the Israelites their enemies that wherein they reposed so much confidence, and whereby they took so much encouragement.

Send it not empty.] This nature itself taught them, that God loveth a full hand. No man might salute the kings of Parthia sine munere, without a present, saith Seneca. {a} See Exo 23:15.

But in any wise return him a trespass offering.] They say not chataah, a sin offering, but ashom, a trespass offering; as if their sin had been but small in meddling with the ark, whereas, indeed, it was very great.

Then ye shall be healed.] For he will be appeased. The kings of Israel were noted for [being] merciful; but God much more.

“ Litatur minimo thuris honore Deus. ”

{a} Epist. 17.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa_6:3

Send it not empty.

Superstition the ape of true devotion

These superstitious priests can counsel them not to send away the ark of God empty, but to give it a sin offering. They had not lived so far away from the smoke of Jewish altars, but that they knew God was accustomed to manifold oblations. No Israelite could have said better; superstition is the ape of true devotion, and if it look not to the ground of both many times it is hard, by the very outward acts, to distinguish them. Nature itself teacheth us that God loves a full hand. He that hath been so bountiful to us as to give us all looks for a return of some offering from us. If we present Him with nothing but our sins how can we look to be accepted? The sacrifices under the Gospel are spiritual; with these must we come into the presence of God if we desire to carry away remission and favour. (Bishop Hall.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 6:3. Send it not empty — They answer directly to the question, first in general; that it must not be sent back without some offering. In any wise return him a trespass-offering — As an acknowledgment that they had offended the God of Israel by bringing his ark from its proper place; for which they begged his pardon by this offering. Then ye shall be healed, &c. — Le Clerc renders this sentence, Then if ye shall be healed, it shall be known, or manifest unto you, why his hand is not removed from you. And it is evident this is the meaning of the words. For these diviners were not sure whence these plagues came; but they thought in this way they should either be healed or know that the ark was not the cause of their sickness. It shall be known — You shall understand what is hitherto doubtful, whether he is the author of these calamities, and why they are continued so long upon you.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6:3 It is unlikely the Philistines were aware of Israelite worship regulations. A Philistine guilt offering would have been a payment to the deity in an attempt to avert his wrath (contrast the notion of atonement from Lev 16).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The idolaters confess there is a true God, who justifieth sin justly.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 3. Send it not empty] As it appears ye have trespassed against him, send him an offering for this trespass.

Why his hand is not removed] The sense is, If you send him a trespass-offering, and ye be cured, then ye shall know why his judgments have not been taken away from you previously to this offering.

It is a common opinion, says Calmet, among all people, that although the Supreme Being needs nothing of his creatures, yet he requires that they should consecrate to him all that they have; for the same argument that proves his independence, infinitude, and self-sufficiency, proves our dependence, and the obligation we are under to acknowledge him by offering him due marks of our gratitude and submission. Such sentiments were common among all people; and God himself commands his people not to appear before him without an offering, Ex 23:15: None shall appear before me empty.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) Send it not empty.—The advice was to propitiate with gifts the powerful Hebrew Deity, whom they imagined was offended and angry at the insult offered Him—the being placed in an inferior position in the Dagon temple.

The priests and diviners evidently thought that the Hebrew Deity, in some way resident in the “golden chest,” was a childish, capricious deity, like one of their own loved gods—Dagon, or Beelzebub, lord of flies. Their people had insulted Him; He had shown Himself powerful enough, however, to injure His captors, so the insults must cease, and He must be appeased with rich offerings.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. send it not empty] Cp. Exo_23:15. All religions regard offering as a necessary part of worship.

in any wise] i.e. “at all events,” “certainly.” Wise means “way of acting,” “manner,” “mode.”

return him a trespass offering] A satisfaction or compensation in return for the injury done him by the removal of the Ark.

it shall be known to you] If the removal of the plague followed the restoration of the Ark with due propitiation, they would know for certain that its detention was the cause of the continuance of the plague. They were not yet convinced that their misfortune was more than “a chance” (1Sa_6:9).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they said, if ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty,.... As they perceived they had either resolved upon, or at least were inclined to do; and which they also thought advisable and therefore would have them by no means send it away as it was, but with some presents along with it; for the meaning of this word "empty" is not that they should take care that all that were in it when taken should go with it, and nothing be taken out of it, or it be stripped of its contents; but that some gifts and offerings should be sent along with it: perhaps they might have some notion of, or respect unto a law in Israel, Exo 23:15 or might say this from a common principle received among Heathens, that deities were to be appeased by gifts (e):

but in any wise return him a trespass offering; here again they seem to have some notion of the sorts and kinds of sacrifice among the Israelites; and advise to a trespass offering, to make satisfaction and atonement for the offence they had committed in taking away the ark; and that they should make restoration not only by returning the ark, but by sending an expiatory offering along with it:

then ye shall be healed; of the disease with which they were smitten; for it seems it still continued on them, at least on many:

and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you; which was because the ark was detained by them; but when that should be sent home, and they be healed upon it, then it would be a plain case that the reason why the disease was inflicted and continued was because of that.

(e) "Munera crede mihi", &c. Ovid. de arte amandi, l. 3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Send it not empty - See the marginal references. The pagan idea of appeasing the gods with gifts, and the scriptural idea of expressing penitence, allegiance, or love to God, by gifts and offerings to His glory and to the comfort of our fellow worshippers, coincide in the practical result.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

If, &c. The lords were already determined to send back the ark. But the priests knew that some still would not believe that it was the cause of their affliction. To convince all, they try an experiment, which would decide the matter; and in case the ark went back, some suitable presents must accompany it, as a propitiation (Haydock) for the sin which they would not (Menochius) then doubt had been incurred. (Haydock) --- Though God stands in need of nothing, all must acknowledge their dependence on him. The pagans always made some present, when they appeared before their idols or monarchs, and God requires the like testimony of submission, Exodus xxiii. 15.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Empty, i.e. without a present; which they judged necessary, from the common opinion and practice both of Jews and Gentiles.

Return him a trespass-offering; thereby to acknowledge our offence, and obtain his pardon.

It shall be known to you; you shall understand what is hitherto doubtful, whether he was the author of these calamities, and why they continued so long upon you. Compare 1Sa 6:7-9.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. Send it not empty — That is, send it not without an offering. Compare Exo_23:15.

Return him a trespass offering — The Hebrew is emphatic — by all means return him a trespass offering. On the trespass offering see Lev_5:6. They doubtless meant to render the God of Israel this offering as a satisfaction for their offence in carrying his ark out of its own land.

Then ye shall be healed — It is better to render this as a conditional sentence, then may ye be healed, etc., for from 1Sa_6:9 we infer that these diviners still suspected that it was only by chance that they were smitten.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 3, 4. A trespass offering. The offering that was to be made when the offence had been unintentional. (Lev_5:15) Why his hand is not removed from you. An euphemism for "why your punishment continues to be so severe, without sign of abatement." If healing follows the gift, you will know that the malady was Jehovah"s doing. The trespass offering was to consist of five golden emerods, and five golden mice, it being an old heathen custom, still constantly practised abroad, of presenting to the deity tokens representing the deliverance wrought for such as had implored his aid. Thus Horace ("Carm.," 1:5) speaks of the custom of hanging up in the temple of Neptune the clothes in which a man had escaped from shipwreck. Slaves when manumitted offered their chains to the Lares; and the idea is so natural that we cannot wonder at its prevalence. One plague was on you all. Rather, "is on you all." It did not cease until the ark had been restored. The Hebrew has on them all; but as all the versions and several MSS. read you all, the substitution of them is probably the mistake of some transcriber.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It shall be known - You shall understand, what is hitherto doubtful, whether he was the author of these calamities, and why they continued so long upon you.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

then ye

Contra. Heb 9:22.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the God of Israel

Possible meanings are 1) they were speaking the proper name of the God of Israel or 2) they believed that Israel worshiped one of many gods, "the god of Israel." See how you translated this in 1 Samuel 5:7.

by all means send him a guilt offering

The words "by all means" are a forceful way of saying something. AT: "you must send a guilt offering" (See: Idiom)

you will be healed

"you will no longer be ill"

you

The pronoun "you" is plural, referring to all of the Philistines. (See: Forms of You)

why his hand has not been lifted off of you

Here "hand" is a metonym used to represent God's power to afflict or discipline. AT: "why he has not relieved your suffering" (See: Metonymy)

tumors

Possible meanings are 1) painful swelling under the skin or 2) hemorrhoids. See how you translated this in 1 Samuel 5:6.

mice

more than one mouse

translationWords

God

Israel

gift

guilt offering

cure

know

hand

gold

rule

plague

afflicted

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

A guilt-offering. As an indication that you confess that you have betrayed Him.

Then you will be healed, and you will realize. That He did this, for why wouldn't His hand turn away from you then?

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.