King James Version
What Does 1 Samuel 6:13 Mean?
“And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.”
Context
11
And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
12
And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway , lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
13
And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
14
And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
15
And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(13) **And they of Beth-shemesh.**—Beth-shemesh, or “House of the Sun,” nearly equivalent to Heliopolis, “City of the Sun,” was a priestly city. It would thus have seemed that this was a fitting home for the Ark of the Covenant to rest in for a time. Shiloh, the old sanctuary, was, we know, now desolate and ruined; but the priests and Levites, from what follows, evidently had forfeited their old position as guides and teachers of the people. Beth-shemesh was no fit permanent dwelling for the Ark of God. The story of the priestly life in the once famous Shiloh during the latter years of Eli indicated how utterly incapable the Levitical families were to influence and guide the people. The subsequent conduct of priestly Beth-shemesh on this memorable occasion, therefore, is not to be wondered at; at first they seem to have rejoiced at the sight of their lost sacred treasure, but an act of careless irreverence called down a swift and unexpected punishment.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
1 Samuel 6:13 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.