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JPS Old Testament

1 Samuel 6:2

And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying: 'What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? declare unto us wherewith we shall send it to its place.'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Kirjath-Jearim;   Miracles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Divination;   Magic;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ark of the Covenant;   Philistines, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Beth-Shemesh;   Ekron;   Gaza or Azzah;   Philistines;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ark;   Magic;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Priest, Priesthood;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Divination;   Ekron;   Soothsayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Philistia;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Divination and Magic;   Sabaoth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Beth-Shemesh;   Magic, Divination, and Sorcery;   Philistines;   Samuel, Books of;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Divination;   Ekron;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for March 2;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
the Philistines summoned the priests and the diviners and pleaded, “What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we can send it back to its place.”
Hebrew Names Version
The Pelishtim called for the Kohanim and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."
King James Version
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord ? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
Lexham English Bible
and the Philistines called to the priests and to those who practiced divination, saying, "What should we do with the ark of Yahweh? Inform us how we should send it to its place."
English Standard Version
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the Lord ? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place."
New Century Version
Then they called for their priests and magicians and said, "What should we do with the Ark of the Lord ? Tell us how to send it back home!"
New English Translation
the Philistines called the priests and the omen readers, saying, "What should we do with the ark of the Lord ? Advise us as to how we should send it back to its place."
Amplified Bible
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners (seers), saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Let us know how we can send it back to its place."
New American Standard Bible
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What are we to do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we may send it to its place."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Philistims called the priests and the soothsayers, saying, What shall we doe with the Arke of the Lord? tell vs wherewith we shall send it home againe.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Make us know how we shall send it to its place."
Contemporary English Version
the Philistines called in their priests and fortunetellers, and asked, "What should we do with this sacred chest? Tell us how to send it back where it belongs!"
Complete Jewish Bible
The P'lishtim summoned the priests and soothsayers and asked them, "What are we to do with the ark of Adonai ? Tell us how to send it back where it belongs."
Darby Translation
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Philistines called their priests and magicians and said, "What must we do with the Lord 's Box? Tell us how to send it back home."
George Lamsa Translation
And the Philistines called for the priests and the lords, saying, What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us by what means shall we send it to its place.
Good News Translation
the people called the priests and the magicians and asked, "What shall we do with the Covenant Box of the Lord ? If we send it back where it belongs, what shall we send with it?"
Literal Translation
And the Philistines called for priests and for those divining, saying, What shall we do to the ark of Jehovah? Let us know with what we shall send it to its place.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the Philistynes called their prestes and soythsayers, and sayde: What shal we do with the Arke of the LORDE? Shewe vs, wher with shal we sende it vnto hir place?
American Standard Version
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall send it to its place.
Bible in Basic English
And the Philistines sent for the priests and those who were wise in secret arts, and said to them, What are we to do with the ark of the Lord? How are we to send it away to its place?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Philistines called for the priestes and the soothsayers, saying: What shall we do with the arke of the Lord? Tell vs wherewith we shall sende it home againe:
King James Version (1611)
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diuiners, saying, What shall we doe to the Arke of the Lord ? Tell vs wherewith we shall send it to his place?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Philistines call their priests, and their prophets, and their enchanters, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? teach us wherewith we shall send it away to its place.
English Revised Version
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? shew us wherewith we shall send it to its place.
Berean Standard Bible
the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how to send it back to its place."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and aftir these thingis Filisteis clepiden preestis and false dyuynours, and seiden, What schulen we do of the arke of God? Shewe ye to vs, hou we schulen sende it in to his place.
Young's Literal Translation
and the Philistines call for priests and for diviners, saying, `What do we do to the ark of Jehovah? let us know wherewith we send it to its place?'
Update Bible Version
And the Philistines called for the priests and the fortune-tellers, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? show us with which we shall sent it to its place.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us with what we shall send it to its place.
World English Bible
The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."
New King James Version
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it to its place."
New Living Translation
Then the Philistines called in their priests and diviners and asked them, "What should we do about the Ark of the Lord ? Tell us how to return it to its own country."
New Life Bible
The Philistines called for the religious leaders and those who were wise in secret ways, saying, "What should we do with the special box of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place."
New Revised Standard
Then the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the Lord ? Tell us what we should send with it to its place."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then called the Philistines for the priests and for the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Let us know, wherewith we shall send it to its own place.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying: What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? tell us how we are to send it back to its place. And they said:
Revised Standard Version
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we shall send it to its place."

Contextual Overview

1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying: 'What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? declare unto us wherewith we shall send it to its place.' 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 guilt-offering; then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.' 4 Then said they: 'What shall be the guilt-offering which we shall return to Him?' And they said: 'Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel; peradventure He will lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when He had wrought among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? 7 Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them. 8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return Him for a guilt-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. 9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then He hath done us this great evil; but if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

called: Genesis 41:8, Exodus 7:11, Isaiah 47:12, Isaiah 47:13, Daniel 2:2, Daniel 5:7, Matthew 2:4

wherewith: Micah 6:6-9

Reciprocal: Judges 18:17 - the graven Jonah 1:11 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
Genesis 4:26
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh; then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
Genesis 6:1
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
Genesis 6:2
that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives, whomsoever they chose.
Genesis 6:3
And the LORD said: 'My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.'
Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.
Genesis 6:6
And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
Genesis 6:7
And the LORD said: 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and creeping thing, and fowl of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.'
Genesis 6:8
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 6:12
And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Philistines called for the priests and for the diviners,.... The one were skilled in the rites and ceremonies of religion, not only of their own, but of other nations, particularly of Israel; and that they were not strangers to the history and affairs of that people is plain from 1 Samuel 6:6 and the other were skilled in judicial astrology, and knowledge of future events, at least as they pretended to; and therefore were both thought fit persons to advise with on the occasion of the ark, and the circumstances they were in through that:

saying, what shall we do to the ark of the Lord? shall we send it back to its own land, or not? the Ekronites had moved it might be sent back, and the five lords sent for the priests and diviners to have their advice upon it, whether it was right or not, and what they should do to it, or with it; for if it was advisable to send it back, then another question follows:

tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place; whether on men's shoulders, or on horses or asses, or on a carriage; and whether just as it was taken, or with some presents with it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The word for “priest” here is the same as that used for the priests of the true God; that for diviners is everywhere used of idolatrous or superstitious divining. Three modes of divination are described Ezekiel 21:21-22, by arrows, by teraphim, and by the entrails of beasts. (Compare Exodus 7:11; Daniel 2:2).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 6:2. The diviners — קסמים kosemim, from קסם kasam, to presage or prognosticate. See Deuteronomy 18:10. In what their pretended art consisted, we know not.


 
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