1 Samuel 6:16 Commentary and Bible Study

The author of the book is eager to record this extraordinary sequence of events by formayyly stating what happened, which the Philistines evidently confirm: that the five lords of the Philistines, representing the five named cities each contributed one golden tumour, and the smaller towns and villages of the land, where the plaguge of rats of mice had taken place, each contributed a golden mouse, and all this was a trespass offering to the God of Israel. They admitted they had sinned by taking the ark and treating it as the spoil of battle. They had been unable to handle the ark of Israel’s God and were now keen to return it. The ark had come to no harm and as Matthew Henry says, ‘The Philistines were as glad to part with it as they had been to take it … They received no money or price for the ransom of it, as they hoped to do’, but they were compelled to give it back willingly. Though they did not believe to the saving of their souls, they were taught to fear the true and living God. Although Israel had behaved very foolishly and in a way that was calculated to make the ark appear as just one more idol to be worshipped, the Lord had intervened in defence of his own honour, where his people had failed to defend it. The glory had not departed from Israel.