And the ark of Hashem was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
verse value 2224
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "and·it·was" (וַיְהִ֧י, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·ark·of·Hashem" (אֲרוֹן־יְהֹוָ֛ה, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "the·ark·of·Hashem" (אֲרוֹן־יְהֹוָ֛ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 167x in I Samuel); "Philistine" (root פלשתי, 124x in I Samuel); "the·ark·of·Hashem" (root ארון, 40x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root חדש ("months") in I Samuel. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֧י [and·it·was] (31) + אֲרוֹן־יְהֹוָ֛ה [the·ark·of·Hashem] (283) + בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה [in·field·of] (311) + פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים [Philistine] (860) + שִׁבְעָ֥ה [seven] (377) + חֳדָשִֽׁים [months] (362) = 2224.
Metzudat Zion
In the field of the Philistines. Like 'in the land of the Philistines'.
Malbim
And it was a matter of record that when the days were prolonged for seven months, the plagues did not cease from them. From this they perceived that it was not a coincidence, for a coincidence does not persist.
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying: ‘What shall we do with the ark of Hashem? declare to us wherewith we shall send it to its place.’
verse value 3532
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 65 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "with·what" (בַּמֶּ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·for·the·diviners" (וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·they·called" (וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ), "to·the·priests" (לַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים), "and·for·the·diviners" (וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "Philistine" (root פלשתי, 124x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ [and·they·called] (323) + פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים [Philistine] (860) + לַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים [to·the·priests] (155) + וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙ [and·for·the·diviners] (286) + לֵאמֹ֔ר [saying] (271) + מַֽה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה [what·shall·we·do] (470) + לַאֲר֣וֹן [to·ark·of] (287) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + הוֹדִעֻ֕נוּ [declare·to·us] (141) + בַּמֶּ֖ה [with·what] (47) + נְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ [we·shall·send·it] (444) + לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ [to·his·place] (222) = 3532.
Rashi
In what manner shall we send it? In what matter shall we send it, that His anger not be kindled, and His fury turn away from us?
Metzudat David
What shall we do? If we send him back to his place:
"Make known to us." This means: And if it should be necessary to send it away, make known to us in what manner we are to send it — whether to place it in a cart and draw it with animals, or to carry it on the shoulder.
Metzudat Zion
And to the diviners. And to the sorcerers.
Malbim
The Questions (2-9): After the princes had already stated, “With what shall we send it back to its place?” how could the priests then speak in terms of doubt, asking, “If they send it...”? Furthermore, the phrase “you shall return to him a guilt offering” is not precise; it should have said, “You shall bring him a guilt offering,” rather than using the language of “returning,” which is only appropriate for one who returns something he had taken. And regarding the statement, “Then you will know why His hand has not departed from you,” this is difficult to understand, for surely they already knew at that moment that it was due to the Ark. Why was it necessary to say, “Do not send it back empty-handed,” when the princes had already stated, “With what shall we send it back,” indicating that they did not wish to send it empty-handed? Moreover, after they initially said, “Then you will be healed,” in definite terms, how did they revert to saying, “Perhaps He will lighten His hand from upon you,” in terms of doubt? And why did they say, “Why do you harden your hearts?” when they had already agreed to send it back? Also, the order is reversed, for it would be proper to first reprove them for hardening their hearts, and only afterward teach them not to send it back empty-handed. Why did they compare their situation to the matter of Pharaoh? It is further astonishing that if the princes of the Philistines wished to send back the Ark and asked their priests how to send it, why did the priests then see fit to perform a test with the new cart? It is also difficult that initially the priests affirmed that the plague had come because of the Ark, as stated in “Then you will be healed,” and afterward they were in doubt. As the Abarbanel noted regarding all these points, and regarding the phrase “according to the number of the lords of the Philistines” etc., and “you shall make golden tumors” etc., there is further redundancy and repetition of language, for it should have been stated briefly: “And you shall make five golden tumors according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, and give glory to the God of Israel.”
“And they called… saying, ‘What shall we do?’” They asked two questions: 1) “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord?” meaning, should they send it back to its place or detain it among them? 2) If they decided that it was necessary to return it to its place, they asked to be informed how it should be sent back to its place, meaning, should they send it on a cart or carry it on their shoulders? Should they go before it with an offering or send it empty-handed? Therefore, they called the priests and the diviners, because the meaning of the first question was known to the diviners, who are knowledgeable about hidden natural, special, and divine matters, and they knew through their divination whether the plague was providential or occurred by chance, and whether it would depart from them if they returned the ark or not. And the meaning of the second question was known to the priests, who know how to conduct themselves with sacred objects, how to honor them, and how to appease the presence of God with an offering.
And they said: ‘If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return Him a guilt-offering; then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.’
verse value 6754
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 88 letters. Notable word values: "to·Him" (ל֖וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·Him" (ל֖וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "if·sending" (אִֽם־מְשַׁלְּחִ֞ים, 8 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "if·sending" (אִֽם־מְשַׁלְּחִ֞ים), "do·not·send" (אַל־תְּשַׁלְּח֤וּ), "vainly" (רֵיקָ֔ם). The root שוב appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "do·not·send" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "Israel" (root ישראל, 102x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root אשם ("guilt") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'guilt', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 8 words.
Rashi
A guilt offering. An admission of the matter in which you admit that you erred.
Then. You will be healed, and it will be made known to you that He did it — for why will His hand not depart from you then?
Radak
"Why did His hand not depart from you? Then you will know why His hand and His plague did not depart from you, because you were detaining His Ark among you, for when you send it away, you will be healed, and [you shall bring] a guilt-offering to atone for what you have done."
Ralbag
And they gave them counsel that they should send him away with honor and return to him a guilt-offering to atone for them; then they would be healed, if the evil had come upon them due to his cause. And it would become known to them why the Hand of God, blessed be He, would not depart from them, because He desired that they give Him honor in place of the fact that they had intended to desecrate His Name. And they said this to indicate that in this way He would choose [to accept their repentance]: if this evil had come upon them due to his cause, already it was their understanding that if the evil had not come upon them due to his cause, they would not return him to Israel.
Metzudat David
"If you send him away." This means: If the matter has come to the point of sending him to his place, do not send him away empty-handed, without a gift and present.
"Return to Him the guilt-offering." Return to the Lord a guilt-offering, in accordance with the law of one who misappropriates consecrated property.
"Then you shall be healed." This means: When you are healed, then it will be clearly known to you why His hand did not depart prior to the restoration; that is to say, then you will know that the hand of the Lord has done this.
Malbim
And they said: “Behold, they prioritized the answer to the second question, for regarding the first question—namely, whether they should send it away—they did not yet know how to answer, since they too were uncertain in the matter whether the plague occurred due to the Ark or not, as it is stated (in verse 9): ‘And you shall see whether it goes up by the way of its border, etc., and if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that smote us, etc.’ And their intention was to conduct an examination on this matter by means of the milch kine. And only regarding the second question did they know a clear answer; therefore, they prioritized the answer to the second question (even though it was necessary to prepare the guilt offering first before performing the examination with the cart, since they would need to place the chest and the golden vessels, which they returned to Him as a guilt offering, beside it). And this is what is written: ‘If you send away the Ark of the God of Israel’—meaning, we do not yet know whether the matter of the examination will fall out such that it will require sending it away. Only this do we know: that if after the examination it becomes clear that it must be sent away, then do not send it empty, for you shall return to Him a guilt offering; then you shall be healed. For if it becomes clear that the plague came due to the Ark, and because of the contempt and disgrace that you did to it, in that you took it captive before the enemy, then even if you send it away without a guilt offering, although by this you will gain that He will withhold His hand from striking you anymore in the future, nevertheless He will not be appeased with you regarding the past, and He will not heal you, nor will He remove from you the plague to heal the wounds already inflicted upon you. But if you return to Him a guilt offering to appease Him for the past sin, He will also heal the wounded and the sick. And even if the guilt offering does not suffice to turn back His fierce anger, in any case it will be made known to you why His hand will not depart from you—meaning, that then He will inevitably inform you through your prophets and diviners (who now, in His anger, are terrified and hidden from them, concealing from them why He has done thus to this land) what is the reason that His hand will not depart, and by this we will be able to know what else to do to turn back His anger and wrath.”
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.
verse value 5938
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 90 letters. Notable word values: "to·Him" (לוֹ֒) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "what" (מָ֣ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·on·your·lords" (וּלְסַרְנֵיכֶֽם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 263: and·they·said, and·they·said. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "guilt" (הָאָשָׁם֮), "we·will·restore" (נָשִׁ֣יב), "tumours" ((עפלי)). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "that" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "Philistine" (root פלשתי, 124x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root מספר ("number") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root חמש ("five") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'gold', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 4 words.
Rashi
The lords of the Philistines. They are five — as it is said (Joshua 13:3): the Gazite and the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, and the Ekronite.
Radak
“And five golden mice.” This supports the interpretation that we wrote above, that when they had hemorrhoids and their bowels would come out at the anus from the illness, the mice would come and remove that intestine. And since the illness was the same for the lords and for the people, the priests and the diviners said to them to make five in the form of hemorrhoids and five in the form of mice, according to the number of the lords, and they would be a guilt offering to atone for them and remove that illness from them.
To all of you and to your leaders. Like it says, "Let all the peoples hear."
Metzudat David
Number. In accordance with the number of the lords of the Philistines, which is five, so you shall return five golden tumors.
"And five golden mice." For the tumors were in some respect similar to the form of mice; therefore it says, "to return also five golden mice," to atone for the people for the five nations of the land of the Philistines.
To all of them. To the entire people and to the leaders, and all of you require atonement.
Metzudat Zion
Mice. The name of a type of crawling creature.
The plague. A matter of affliction.
Malbim
And they said, in accordance with what they had grasped in their language, that “you shall return to him a guilt offering,” since the term “return” is only appropriate if one returns the very thing in which he was guilty (as it is stated, “and he shall return his guilt upon his head,” meaning he returns the money he stole; for bringing a meal offering and a sacrifice, one would have been required to say “bring a guilt offering”). They asked: What is the guilt offering that we are to return? How can the returning of the guilt offering and the sin itself be conceived? And it is not possible to say that we shall “return” a guilt offering, only that we shall “bring” a guilt offering. And they explained to them that, since the plague took the form of boils and mice, the plague necessarily has some connection with the sin, for the sin and the iniquity themselves clothe themselves in the form of the destroyer to punish the sinner, as is well known. And necessarily, your guilt was in this form and of this quality, as if you had sinned against His honor in this form. And if you return this destructive form to the Holy One, and thereby honor Him, whereas previously you rebelled against Him through it, in this way you shall return to Him the guilt offering to the Holy One. And they explained two matters: a) the quantity of the guilt offering, that its number shall be five and five; b) the quality, that they shall be golden boils and golden mice. And they first explained the reason for the number five: “one plague for all of you and your commanders,” meaning, by this number you shall be taught, for the commanders were equal with all the people in the one plague. Therefore, the number shall be five, corresponding to the five commanders, and it shall be doubled: five boils, which are large, corresponding to the commanders, and five mice, which are small, corresponding to the peoples under their rule, each people bringing one mouse. (And according to what the commentators said that the mice were destroying the crops of the land, the form of the boils corresponded to the plague that ruled over the fruit of their land.)
Wherefore you shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
verse value 6683
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 103 letters. The shortest word is "He·will·lighten" (יָקֵ֤ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·mice" (עַכְבְּרֵיכֶ֗ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 146: and·from·upon, and·from·upon. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "tumours" ((עפליכם)), "your·tumors" (טְחֹרֵיכֶ֜ם), "and·images·of" (וְצַלְמֵ֣י). The root על appears 3 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·upon·you" (root על, 112x in I Samuel); "Israel" (root ישראל, 102x in I Samuel); "to·the·God·of" (root אלהים, 89x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root צלם ("images·of") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root שחת ("that·destroy") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'glory', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 8 words.
Metzudat David
"Images, etc., the destroyers, etc." He means to say: They made images in the form of the tumors and the mice, which are destroyers, etc.
"And you shall give, etc., honor." This means: It is not that He needs this, but rather, give for His honor.
Perhaps He will lighten. On account of the honor that you will show Him:
"From upon you." This is said of the lords.
“And from your land.” From the inhabitants of your land, the remainder of the people.
Metzudat Zion
The land. The people of the land.
Malbim
And ye shall make. Now he explains the reason of the quality: why should they be in the form of boils and mice? This is what is written, “And you shall make images of your tumours” (for the tumours were the plague upon their bodies) and “images of your mice” that destroy the land (for the mice were destroying the land and its produce). The reason for these forms is that by this, you will give honor to the God of Israel. For the naturalists would say that there is danger to the afflicted person if he sees the form of that which bit or struck him, like one bitten by a mad dog or by a serpent, who would be endangered if he saw the form of a dog or a serpent. And this would be the case with a natural plague and natural healing. But with a providential plague and providential healing, it is the opposite: Moses hung the copper serpent on a pole, and every one who was bitten and saw it lived. So too here: in that they make images of those that destroy them, by this they give honor to the God of Israel, for they will acknowledge in deed that the Lord is the one who strikes and heals by means of a miracle. And by this, perhaps He will lighten His hand from you regarding the plague of tumours, and from your land regarding the plague of mice.
Wherefore then do you 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?
verse value 4392
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 67 letters. Verse gematria: 4392 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "among·them" (בָּהֶ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·heart" (אֶת־לְבַבְכֶ֔ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 521: as, when. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "you·harden" (תְכַבְּדוּ֙), "your·heart" (אֶת־לְבַבְכֶ֔ם), "they·hardened" (כִּבְּד֛וּ). The root כבד appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "as" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "and·departed" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel); "did·not" (root לא, 107x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·heart', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְלָ֤מָּה [and·why] (81) + תְכַבְּדוּ֙ [you·harden] (432) + אֶת־לְבַבְכֶ֔ם [your·heart] (495) + כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר [as] (521) + כִּבְּד֛וּ [they·hardened] (32) + מִצְרַ֥יִם [Egypt] (380) + וּפַרְעֹ֖ה [and·Pharaoh] (361) + אֶת־לִבָּ֑ם [their·heart] (473) + הֲלוֹא֙ [did·not] (42) + כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר [when] (521) + הִתְעַלֵּ֣ל [He·wrought] (535) + בָּהֶ֔ם [among·them] (47) + וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֖וּם [and·sent·them·away] (400) + וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ [and·departed] (72) = 4392.
Radak
“And why do you honor” – this is the only instance found in the language of “weight” (kavedut) that is constructed with a dagesh.
"He dealt ruthlessly with them." He performed an act of destruction — like "that which I have wrought upon Egypt."
Metzudat David
"And why do you honor" – Because they asked, "What shall we do with the Ark," as if they were in doubt whether to send it away or to retain it, to them it was said: "And why do you honor" etc.
Is it not as He mocked them? This means: Surely the end of the matter will be as it was in Egypt, where He played with them and mocked them, and afterward, against their will, they sent the Children of Israel away, and they departed; and so too shall be your end.
Metzudat Zion
He made sport. A matter of mockery and derision, similarly (Exodus 10:2): 'in which I mocked Egypt'.
Malbim
And why, after they had clarified the second question—namely, in what manner they should send it back to its place—did they return to answer the first question, which was whether they should send it at all? Now, this question has two aspects: 1) It can be said that they concede the point that the Lord had struck them on account of the Ark, and yet their intention was not to send it, reasoning that the affliction with which the Lord had afflicted them resembled natural diseases, which have a measure and a fixed duration in time. They assumed that since the illness had already lasted for many days, it would not continue further and His hand would withdraw from them. To this it is said: “Why do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs?” For they too thought that He would cease striking them, but He dealt with them blow after blow, and they were ultimately compelled to send the children of Israel away.
Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on which there has come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them.
verse value 8116
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 91 letters. The shortest word is "yoke" (עֹ֑ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·kine" (אֶת־הַפָּרוֹת֙, 7 letters). 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "take" (קְח֨וּ), "and·do" (וַעֲשׂ֜וּ), "heifer" (עֲגָלָ֤ה). The root עגלה appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "upon·them" (root על, 112x in I Samuel); "has·not·gone·up" (root עלה, 81x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root עגלה ("heifer") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root פרה ("cows") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'yoke', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 7 words.
Rashi
Milk-bearing. Nursing.
Upon which the yoke has not come. All this is a test — that these are not fit to draw. And further, they follow their young. And if there is power in the Ark that they should lead it of their own accord, we will know that He did this to us.
Radak
"New." This means that no work was performed on it on account of the sanctity of the Ark.
"Alot." "Nursing [cows]" – as Targum Jonathan translates it. They are called "alot" because of the nursing young, which are called "olim" and "olalim." They were commanded to take nursing cows to demonstrate the miracle, that they did not turn back on account of their young.
“Which no yoke had been put upon them.” This they said on account of the sanctity of the Ark, that no other work was done with them, as they also said, a new cart.
Ralbag
And they suspected that the Lord had already sent another plague, namely mice, which were destroying the land, and this plague afflicted all the cities of the Philistines. Therefore, their priests and diviners said to them that they should make for them golden tumors and golden mice, according to the number of the princes. This was the guilt offering that they were to return to the Lord, so that His hand might be removed from them. And they warned them not to be reluctant to do this, lest something happen to them as happened to Egypt and to Pharaoh.
Now, they guided them in another manner as well, in order to know with certainty whether this evil had come to them because of the Ark of God, for in the first method there was some doubt. For even if this evil had come to them because of the Ark of God, it was not necessary that they be healed immediately before returning it to its place. And thus they would not be atoned for, for this was from His hand against them until they returned it to Israel. And if they were not healed, the Philistines would not be able to return it to them with the guilt offering. And therefore, this first test would not benefit the Philistines.
And so, they pretended that they did not agree with this advice. The priests and diviners perceived this, and said to them, “Do not harden your hearts.” Nevertheless, they gave them a second test, which would be recognized by them before returning the Ark to Israel. Therefore, they commanded that they make a new cart in honor of the Lord and that they take two nursing cows that had calved, upon which no yoke had ever been placed. And therefore, they would not be accustomed to drawing a cart, for they had never performed any such labor. Here, there is a second reason for diminishing the likelihood of their walking, which is that they would be returning their calves behind them to the house, for their love for the calves would draw them to return to them according to their strength, if this were not from the Lord to return the Ark to Israel.
And if the cows would straighten out on their own to go to Israel, by way of Beth-shemesh, which was the place nearest to them from Israel, then it would be clear that this was from the Lord, because of the Ark of God. And if not, then this had come to us by chance. For if it were to come from Him by way of a miracle, His hand would not be shortened from performing this second miracle, which is to cause the cows to go on their own by way of Beth-shemesh. And if this were to come to us by chance, this guilt offering would not be accepted by Him, nor would we return the Ark of God to Israel.
Metzudat David
"And now take." This implies: Take wood and make a new cart for the honor of the Ark.
“And two milch cows.” This means: They tested the matter to ascertain that the truth was with them, and this is what they did. They took milch cows that had never before been yoked, and they yoked them to the cart; they took their calves from them. Now, it is their customary nature not to move from their place to go away from their calves, and all the more so were they not accustomed to pulling the yoke.
Metzudat Zion
Milch. Nursing, similarly (Genesis 33:13): 'the sheep and the cattle are giving suck'.
The yoke. It is that which the cow pulls with.
And you shall bind them. A matter of binding.
Homeward. To shut them up in the house.
Malbim
And now, however, regarding the other side of the matter you asked, whether to send the ark, this is because you are uncertain about the matter itself: whether the plagues came by providence through the agency of the ark, or whether they were coincidental. For this, you shall perform a test to clarify the matter: a) Take and make a new cart; command that the cart be new, either because of honor, since it is not fitting that something used by a common person be used by the Exalted One (Maimonides, Laws of the Chosen House, Chapter 1, Law 20), or because a new cart is harder to guide; b) Two milch kine, meaning nursing cows, which are not accustomed to pulling loads; c) Upon which no yoke has been placed, nor have they been trained to pull a cart (and also for the reason of honor, as stated above); d) And you shall bind them and send them away, and bring their calves home away from them, for then it is according to nature that they will return after their calves, and all the more so will they not pass from here to another land.
Cross-references: Numbers 19:2; Judges 16:11; II Samuel 6:3
And take the ark of Hashem, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return Him for a guilt-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
verse value 7187
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 81 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·him" (לוֹ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·cart" (אֶל־הָ֣עֲגָלָ֔ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 407: it, and·(object marker), it. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·you·shall·take" (וּלְקַחְתֶּ֞ם), "vessels·of" (כְּלֵ֣י), "you·return" (הֲשֵׁבֹתֶ֥ם). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "which" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "and·will·go" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root כלי ("vessels·of") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root ארגז ("in·the·box") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·his·side', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 3 words.
Rashi
In a chest. Sakri'yu in the foreign tongue.
Radak
"unto the cart" – This is equivalent to "upon the cart." Similarly, "and he smote the Philistine upon his forehead" is equivalent to "upon his forehead." Alternatively, "unto" here is equivalent to "in," just as "and into the ark thou shalt put" is equivalent to "and in the ark." Targum Jonathan reads: "be'agelta" (in the cart).
In a chest. “In a box,” as the Targum renders it: “in a box.”
Metzudat David
And he went. This means that they left it to go of its own accord, so that no one would drive the cows.
Metzudat Zion
In a chest. Like a box.
Malbim
"And you shall take" — and then they would place upon it the ark and the guilt-offering, and they would see whether it would go of its own accord or not. And behold, even if they were to go of their own accord, this test is still not sufficient until:
And see, if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then He has 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.’
verse value 4710
Insights
Verse structure: 23 words, 89 letters. Notable word values: "to·us" (לָ֔נוּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·you·will·see" (וּרְאִיתֶ֗ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 86: to·us, to·us. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·you·will·see" (וּרְאִיתֶ֗ם), "if·way·of" (אִם־דֶּ֨רֶךְ), "his·border" (גְּבוּל֤וֹ). The root הוא appears 2 times in this verse. 21 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "was" (root היה, 167x in I Samuel); "that" (root כי, 161x in I Samuel); "not" (root לא, 107x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root שמש ("sun") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 11 words.
Metzudat David
"And you shall see." And then you will see: if the Ark goes up of its own accord along the border of its land to Beth-shemesh, then surely the calamity came because of it; but if it does not go up of its own accord along its border, then it will be known that the calamity came by chance.
Malbim
The question is: regarding the statement "it was a chance that befell us," this implies that the Ark was a chance occurrence; yet he should have said, "they were a chance that befell us." He means to say: the plagues.
And you shall see, if you see that it ascends by itself along the road of its boundary to Beth-shemesh, you shall know that everything was under His providence, for He desired that the Ark of His strength should return to its resting place. Therefore, He guided in His Spirit both the cart and its drivers to wherever the Spirit would go; and if not, then we shall know, etc. He means to say that even though we cannot deny this—that the plagues came on account of the Ark, for indeed, wherever it arrived, the smiting began immediately in that very place—nevertheless, we have another doubt, which is whether the plagues came because of the Ark, or whether the Ark came because of the plagues. That is to say, whether the anger of the Lord against us was solely because His strength was given into captivity, such that the Ark was the intrinsic cause for which this distress came upon us; or, conversely, that the Lord was already angry with us from before due to some other hidden cause, and in order to pour out His wrath upon us like water, He arranged that we take the Ark of the Lord to ourselves, which has the property of smiting everyone who touches it. In this way, the plague is the intrinsic cause that brought about our taking the Ark to ourselves to smite us, and the arrival of the Ark is a coincidence. This is what is written: “We shall know that it is not His hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.” He means to say that it came about by coincidence through the anger of the Lord, who desired to punish us on account of a prior, hidden sin.
And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.
verse value 4317
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֔ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·calves" (וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·they·did" (וַיַּעֲשׂ֤וּ), "and·they·tied·them" (וַיַּאַסְר֖וּם), "and·their·calves" (וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel); "and·they·did" (root עשה, 79x in I Samuel); "and·took" (root לקח, 78x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·cart', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּעֲשׂ֤וּ [and·they·did] (392) + הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ [man] (406) + כֵּ֔ן [so] (70) + וַיִּקְח֗וּ [and·took] (130) + שְׁתֵּ֤י [two] (710) + פָרוֹת֙ [cows] (686) + עָל֔וֹת [milch] (506) + וַיַּאַסְר֖וּם [and·they·tied·them] (323) + בָּעֲגָלָ֑ה [in·the·cart] (110) + וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם [and·their·calves] (514) + כָּל֥וּ [they·shut·up] (56) + בַבָּֽיִת [at·home] (414) = 4317.
Rashi
They shut up at home. The language of confinement.
Radak
“Kilu” in the house. Like “kila’u,” and it is among the words that take a heh, like “lo kalah mimkha asher khalatni hayom hazeh” (none shall withhold from thee; who hast kept me back this day). Or it is among the words that take an aleph, and it comes in the manner of words that take a heh; so too “malu tokhekhamas” (they filled your midst with violence), like “mal’u”; and “venashu et kolmatam” (and they shall take away their shame), like “venis’u” (and they shall take). For they have already used this matter in two languages, with a heh and with an aleph, because it is their way to interchange one for the other. And the meaning of “to bring back their calves from after them, and to confine them in the house” is that, were it not for the matter of the Ark, they would have returned to their calves, since their calves were not going after them.
Metzudat Zion
They detained. Like 'they imprisoned,' and it is a matter of seizing.
And they put the ark of Hashem upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
verse value 3390
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 55 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and·(object marker)" (וְאֵ֣ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·cart" (אֶל־הָעֲגָלָ֑ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 407: and·(object marker), and·(object marker), and·(object marker). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "box" (הָאַרְגַּ֗ז), "their·tumors" (טְחֹרֵיהֶֽם). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "the·ark" (root ארון, 40x in I Samuel); "and·they·put" (root שום, 27x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·cart', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיָּשִׂ֛מוּ [and·they·put] (362) + אֶת־אֲר֥וֹן [the·ark] (658) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + אֶל־הָעֲגָלָ֑ה [upon·the·cart] (144) + וְאֵ֣ת [and·(object marker)] (407) + הָאַרְגַּ֗ז [box] (216) + וְאֵת֙ [and·(object marker)] (407) + עַכְבְּרֵ֣י [mice·of] (302) + הַזָּהָ֔ב [gold] (19) + וְאֵ֖ת [and·(object marker)] (407) + צַלְמֵ֥י [images·of] (170) + טְחֹרֵיהֶֽם [their·tumors] (272) = 3390.
Metzudat David
"their hemorrhoids." These are the boils that were similar in some respect to hemorrhoids:
And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they 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 to the border of Beth-shemesh.
verse value 7129
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 95 letters. The shortest word is "Beth" (בֵּ֣ית, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·was·right" (וַיִּשַּׁ֨רְנָה, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 640: sun, sun. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·they·was·right" (וַיִּשַּׁ֨רְנָה), "the·cows" (הַפָּר֜וֹת), "by·the·way" (עַל־דֶּ֙רֶךְ֙). The root הלך appears 3 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·went" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel); "Philistines" (root פלשתי, 124x in I Samuel); "Beth" (root בית, 75x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root ישר ("and·they·was·right") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root ימין ("right") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·left', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 7 words.
Rashi
And they went straight. Behold, this word is androgynous — teaching that even the young were saying a song: 'Roni, roni, ha'shitah, hitnofafi,' etc., as it is in the tractate Avodah Zarah (24b). And according to its simple meaning, 'va'yisharnah' — the language of 'yashar derekh' — they were going straight.
And they went along, lowing. The language of the cry of cattle — lowing.
Beth-shemesh. Israel was there.
Radak
"And the cows took the straight way." As its Targum renders: and the cows went straight — that is to say, they headed toward Beth-shemesh and went by the straight road, turning neither to the right nor to the left. And it comes with only one feminine marker, like "and they conceived when they came to drink." And the dagesh in the shin stands for the missing yod, the first radical; and in the word vayechamnah the quiescent tsere came in place of the yod, the first radical.
"Lowing as they went." They lowed on account of their calves. The cry of cattle is called geiyah, as in "or loweth the ox over his fodder" (Job 6:5). And in the midrash, which said that they uttered song, they derived vayisharnah from the word shirah, song.
Ralbag
And behold, the cows went straight along the road to Beth-shemesh, without turning aside to the right or to the left; and the princes of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh, to see the truth of the matter.
Metzudat David
And the cows went straight. They went on the straight path, on the way leading up to Beth-shemesh.
“On a single path.” And they did not turn to the right or to the left.
“Walk and cry.” This means: Even though they went and cried out because of the loss of their children, nevertheless they did not swerve to the right or to the left.
Metzudat Zion
And they went straight. From the word 'straight'.
On the highway. On the beaten path.
And they lowed. The cry of the cow is called 'gehah,' similarly (Job 6:5): 'if the ox lows'.
Malbim
The questions: Why did he double his expression — "and they went straight in the way," "in one highway they went," "and they turned not aside," etc. — when all of this is one and the same matter?
And they went straight. He relates that there were several miracles in this matter:
a) “And they went straight” – because the place where the cows stood was near the house, far from the road, and they could have turned during their walk toward the side of the houses or the fields, yet they straightened their path toward the road.
b) “On the road to Beth-shemesh” – because after they reached the road, they had the choice to go forward or backward toward the side of the Philistines, yet they chose to go toward the side of Beth-shemesh, to the east.
c) “They went along a single path” – because on the road there are several paths worn down by pedestrians, and the way for animals is to walk sometimes on this side and sometimes on that side, yet they went along a single path.
d) “They went along, lowing” – out of great joy. Our Sages of blessed memory said regarding this that they sang a song, for the wondrous thing that testifies to God’s providence is the song that rises from His creatures, through which His deeds and wonders are recognized.
e) “And they did not turn aside to the right or to the left” – because the road sometimes bends in places of rocks and ridges, yet they did not turn aside with its windings; rather, they went in a straight line, whose definition is the shortest line between two given points.
f) “And the lords of the Philistines went after them” – for it would not have been a miracle if they had gone before them, since the nature of animals is to follow their owners. It was not so when they went after them, and this continued until the border of Beth-shemesh.
And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
verse value 4979
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 60 letters. Verse gematria: 4979 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "sun" (שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "harvest·of·wheat" (קְצִיר־חִטִּ֖ים, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "being·short" (קֹצְרִ֥ים), "their·eyes" (אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֗ם), "the·ark" (אֶת־הָ֣אָר֔וֹן). The root ראה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·saw" (root ראה, 82x in I Samuel); "and·Beth" (root בית, 75x in I Samuel); "their·eyes" (root עין, 46x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root קציר ("harvest·of·wheat") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root עמק ("in·the·valley") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·valley', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּבֵ֣ית [and·Beth] (418) + שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ [sun] (640) + קֹצְרִ֥ים [being·short] (440) + קְצִיר־חִטִּ֖ים [harvest·of·wheat] (467) + בָּעֵ֑מֶק [in·the·valley] (212) + וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ [and·they·lifted] (323) + אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֗ם [their·eyes] (586) + וַיִּרְאוּ֙ [and·they·saw] (223) + אֶת־הָ֣אָר֔וֹן [the·ark] (663) + וַֽיִּשְׂמְח֖וּ [and·they·rejoiced] (370) + לִרְאֽוֹת [to·see] (637) = 4979.
Rashi
And they rejoiced to see. They were observing how it came by itself. And from their joy they conducted themselves with levity — they were not observing it with awe and the way of honor.
Radak
"And they rejoiced to see." [Their joy was so great that] they broke in to look into the Ark, and opened it, and saw what was inside it; therefore they were punished, as it is written: "And they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered, lest they die."
Metzudat David
“And they rejoiced at the sight.” This is because afterward they mourned due to the Ark; therefore, it says: “Now, at the time of their seeing, they rejoiced.”
Malbim
The questions: If they rejoiced, why was the Lord’s wrath kindled against them?
And Beth-shemesh: He relates that the people of Beth-shemesh were then engaged in harvesting wheat, and it was fitting for them to go out to meet the Ark, to receive it, and to conduct it with honor and joy. Yet, when it says, “and they lifted up their eyes and saw the Ark, and rejoiced,” it means that they did not rejoice as they ought have, with the joy of a mitzvah, by setting aside their work and bringing it to its place of conception. Rather, their joy was merely in seeing something new and astonishing to the beholders, and this led to the wrath, for the Lord’s anger burned against them, as will be explained.
And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone; and they cleaved the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine for a burnt-offering to Hashem.
verse value 5480
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֔ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·Beth-shemite" (בֵּֽית־הַשִּׁמְשִׁי֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 340: to·field·of, there. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·the·cart" (וְהָעֲגָלָ֡ה), "to·field·of" (אֶל־שְׂדֵ֨ה), "the·Beth-shemite" (בֵּֽית־הַשִּׁמְשִׁי֙). The root עגלה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "to·field·of" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "went·in" (root בוא, 161x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root עמד ("and·stood") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'great', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Radak
“And they offered the cows as a burnt-offering.” The men of Beth-shemesh split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt-offering, for the altars were permitted from the time that Shiloh was destroyed, and a female [animal] is fit for an individual’s altar. And there is a derivation from our Sages of blessed memory that the commanders of the Philistines offered them, for Rabbi Eliezer says that one does not offer from the animals of idolaters, and they raised a difficulty against him from this verse, and he answered: “Do we learn from the commanders of the Philistines?” And in another place they said that it was a temporary ruling. This is according to the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer if the Israelites offered them.
Ralbag
And the cart came to the field of Joshua, at Beth-shemesh, and stood there; and a great stone was there. And they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows as a burnt-offering unto the LORD upon the altar which they had built there. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings on that day unto the LORD.
Metzudat Zion
Beth-shemesh. From 'house of the sun,' and it is the name of the city.
Malbim
And the cart, and therefore the cows did not stand even now, and there was yet another miracle: 1) that now they turned aside from the road into the field; 2) that they stood in the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemite. And the reason is that there was a large stone there, which had been prepared by Divine providence for the Ark to be placed upon it. And the princes of the Philistines clave the wood of the cart, and they offered up (meaning that they commanded to offer up) the cows (for surely all this time the men of Beth-shemesh did not do this on their own initiative without the knowledge of the lords, since the cart and the cows were theirs):
And the Levites took down the ark of Hashem, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Hashem.
verse value 5903
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 107 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·the·coffer" (וְאֶת־הָאַרְגַּ֤ז, 8 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·the·Levites" (וְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם), "bring·down" (הוֹרִ֣ידוּ), "and·the·coffer" (וְאֶת־הָאַרְגַּ֤ז). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "to·the·stone" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "that·was·with·it" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·great', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 9 words.
Metzudat David
"They offered burnt offerings." This refers to offerings in addition to the cows mentioned above.
Metzudat Zion
To the stone. On the stone.
Malbim
And the Levites were engaged in bringing it down, and the men of Beth-shemesh sacrificed other sacrifices on that day, besides the cows that the lords commanded to be offered.
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
verse value 2571
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "saw" (רָא֑וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "lords·of·the·Philistines" (סַרְנֵֽי־פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים, 10 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·day" (root יום, 154x in I Samuel); "saw" (root ראה, 82x in I Samuel); "that" (root הוא, 82x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saw', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה [and·five] (359) + סַרְנֵֽי־פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים [lords·of·the·Philistines] (1180) + רָא֑וּ [saw] (207) + וַיָּשֻׁ֥בוּ [and·they·returned] (324) + עֶקְר֖וֹן [Ekron] (426) + בַּיּ֥וֹם [in·the·day] (58) + הַהֽוּא [that] (17) = 2571.
Metzudat David
See. The matter has been examined and found to be so:
Malbim
The questions: What does it inform us that they returned to Ekron?
And the five lords—this too was a miracle: although they lingered there until they had witnessed the entire affair of the offering of the cows and the sacrifices, nevertheless, they returned that very day, in such a way that within a single day they went and came back, covering this great distance, despite the time they spent at Beth Shemesh.
And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a guilt-offering to Hashem: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
verse value 4297
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 75 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָד֙) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "which" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·Hashem·for·Ashdod" (לַיהֹוָ֑הלְאַשְׁדּ֨וֹד, 11 letters). Words sharing gematria 13: one, one. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·these" (וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙), "they·rendered" (הֵשִׁ֧יבוּ), "to·Hashem·for·Ashdod" (לַיהֹוָ֑הלְאַשְׁדּ֨וֹד). The root אחד appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "Philistines" (root פלשתי, 124x in I Samuel); "they·rendered" (root שוב, 44x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem·for·Ashdod', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ [and·these] (42) + טְחֹרֵ֣י [tumours] (227) + הַזָּהָ֔ב [gold] (19) + אֲשֶׁ֨ר [which] (501) + הֵשִׁ֧יבוּ [they·rendered] (323) + פְלִשְׁתִּ֛ים [Philistines] (860) + אָשָׁ֖ם [guilt] (341) + לַיהֹוָ֑הלְאַשְׁדּ֨וֹד [to·Hashem·for·Ashdod] (401) + אֶחָ֜דלְעַזָּ֤ה [one·for·Gaza] (125) + אֶחָד֙ [one] (13) + לְאַשְׁקְל֣וֹן [one·for·Ashkelon] (517) + אֶחָ֔דלְגַ֥ת [one·for·Gath] (446) + אֶחָ֖דלְעֶקְר֥וֹן [one·for·Ekron] (469) + אֶחָֽד [one] (13) = 4297.
Metzudat David
And these are the tumors. This means: In these cases, they did not add to what the sorcerers and priests had said:
For Ashdod, one. This means: for the lord of Ashdod, one; and so it is with all of them.
Malbim
And these are the golden emerods: the emerods that the lords brought were five, corresponding to the number of the Philistine lords, as stated above. But the mice that came on account of the people (even though, according to the command of the priests, five would have sufficed as well, as stated above) added and brought [more].
and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to Abel by the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Hashem, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
verse value 7840
Insights
Verse structure: 28 words, 115 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֚ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·mice·of" (וְעַכְבְּרֵ֣י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 80: and·unto, and·even·unto. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·mice·of" (וְעַכְבְּרֵ֣י), "all·the·cities·of" (כׇּל־עָרֵ֤י), "to·five·of" (לַחֲמֵ֣שֶׁת). The root עד appears 3 times in this verse. 25 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "which" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "day" (root יום, 154x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root אבל ("Abel") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root נוח ("they·set·down") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'country', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 16 words.
Rashi
The unwalled village. A village that has no wall.
Avel the great. It is the great stone mentioned above — the lamed comes in place of the nun. And so 'nishkah' in place of 'lishkah,' in the book of Nehemiah (13:7). And because mourning happened to them in the matter, it was called 'Avel.'
Radak
“and five golden mice.” Just as there were five golden tumors corresponding to the five cities, so too were there mice corresponding to all the cities of the Philistines, which are the five mentioned. And they were five because of the five commanders, meaning that they served as an atonement for all of them, as it stated above, “for one plague was upon all of you and upon your commanders.” And regarding what it says, “from a fortified city to a small village,” the letter vav is missing from “from a fortified city,” meaning that even though the commandment of the diviners and priests was only to make five golden tumors and five golden mice corresponding to the number of the commanders and the major cities, which are Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron, and Gaza, they voluntarily made additional golden tumors and mice out of fear, and they made them from all the cities and villages, that is, the small towns; every city and every village made a golden tumor and a golden mouse in all the places where the Philistines dwelt.
“And unto the great stone of mourning, upon which they placed the ark of the Lord.” That is to say, near that place were the unwalled villages of the Philistines. And what is meant by “to this day in the field of Joshua” is that the ark was placed upon it, and it remains to this day in the field of Joshua, and the great stone was called Abel because of the mourning that was made there, as it says, “and the people mourned,” the Targum renders “the great stone of mourning” as “the large stone.”
Metzudat David
"And the mice of gold, etc." But regarding the golden mice, they added [to the number], and they brought one opposite each city, and not merely five, as the magicians had said.
“to the five.” Which belong to the five satraps and are under their rule:
“From a fortified city.” Whether it is opposite a fortified city, or opposite an unprotected village without a wall surrounding it:
"And until the great stone." This is the great stone mentioned above, and it is called "Abel" because the people mourned there over what the Lord had done to them, as it is written below. And he means to say: this is not the end of the matter that is known and recognized to this day, the field of Joshua; for even the great stone, etc., is known to this day in the field of Joshua, Beth-shemesh.
Metzudat Zion
And even. Its meaning is like 'and even,' similarly (Exodus 9:7): 'not even one of the livestock of Israel died,' and he means, even one.
Malbim
"The golden mice" refers to all the cities of the Philistines, for the people volunteered of their own accord, and each city volunteered one mouse. And not only a fortified city, but even unto the unwalled village, for the unwalled villages also brought, unto Abel the great, which is the border of the Land of Israel (and it is called Abel because of the mourning).
And He smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had gazed upon the ark of Hashem, even He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand men; and the people amourned, because Hashem had smitten the people with a great slaughter.
verse value 4555
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 83 letters. Notable word values: "and·He·struck" (וַיַּ֞ךְ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "and·because" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·mourned" (וַיִּֽתְאַבְּל֣וּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 311: man, man. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "in·men·of" (בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י), "in·ark·of" (בַּאֲר֣וֹן), "and·they·mourned" (וַיִּֽתְאַבְּל֣וּ). The root נכה appears 3 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "in·men·of" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel); "and·because" (root כי, 161x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'man', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 7 words.
Rashi
Seventy men, fifty thousand men. Yonatan translated: And He slew among the elders of the people seventy men, and among the congregation fifty thousand men. And our Sages said (Sotah 35b): Seventy men — each one was equivalent to fifty thousand. Or: fifty thousand men — each one equivalent to seventy sanhedrins.
Radak
“Because they looked into the ark.” The Targum: “Because they rejoiced and because they looked at the ark of the Lord,” just as it says, “and they rejoiced to see.” And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, because they saw and He struck the men of Beth-shemesh. They disputed this matter: some said that they were harvesting and bowing down, meaning that they did not cease from their work on account of it; and some said that they uttered words that were not fitting in regard to the ark, saying, “Who angered you, that you were angered? And who appeased you, that you were appeased?” And according to this homiletical interpretation, the word “they looked” (ra’u) is to be understood like “to see” (lir’ot) in you and similar instances, which they interpret as language of contempt. But the correct view is what we explained: that they opened it and saw what was inside it. Therefore, it says “into the ark” (ba’aron) and not “the ark” (aron).
"Seventy men, fifty thousand men." The conjunctive vav is missing — [as if it read] "and fifty thousand men" — like "sun, moon," "Reuben, Simeon," and the like. And the Targum renders: and He slew among the elders of the people seventy men, and in the congregation fifty thousand men. And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory: "seventy men" — each one of whom was equal to fifty thousand men; and some say "fifty thousand" — each one of whom was equal to the seventy of the Sanhedrin.
Ralbag
And He smote. The Lord smote the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked upon the Ark of God, and they did not leave their work, for they were harvesting the wheat harvest. And He smote of the people seventy men. Some say that these seventy men were equivalent in stature to fifty thousand men due to their great merit; others say that those who were smitten were fifty thousand and seventy men. And the people mourned, because the Lord had smitten the people with a great slaughter.
Metzudat David
"And he struck." The Lord struck them because they opened the Ark and looked inside. For this reason, He struck seventy men from the prominent citizens of the city, and they were considered as equivalent to fifty thousand men (Sotah 35b).
Malbim
The questions are: Why did He strike the men of Beth-shemesh? And furthermore, it is far-fetched that there were fifty thousand people in the city of Beth-shemesh. And what is the meaning of the duplication: "He struck the men of Beth-shemesh" and "He struck the people"?
And He struck the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord (the seeing followed by the preposition "into" indicates apprehension and wonder at the matter, and comprehension of its essence, as in "He saw their burdens," and it is common in matters of intellect, such as "I will not see my affliction" and "He sees the good of Jerusalem"; and the meaning is that they gazed at it more than was fitting, due to a lack of awe and reverence). The verse states that He struck among the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord in a manner of contempt. And likewise, "He smote of the people"—that is, of the rest of the people, who had gathered there from the surrounding areas. And it explains: "Among the men of Beth-shemesh He struck seventy men, and among all the people He struck fifty thousand men." (And our Sages of blessed memory explained that He struck seventy men who were equivalent in weight to fifty thousand; it appears that the total assembly gathered there was fifty thousand men, and of them seventy died. And the measure of the verse is: "He struck seventy men out of fifty thousand men." (For the letter mem of the construct state often drops, as in "Elhanan of Bethlehem" (2 Samuel 23:24) and similar cases. And the omission of the mem of the construct state serves to indicate that they all suffered over the death of their brothers, and it seemed to them as though they were all stricken.)
And the men of Beth-shemesh said: ‘Who is able to stand before Hashem, this holy God? and to whom shall it go up from us?’
verse value 3063
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 63 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֧ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·said" (וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·stand" (לַעֲמֹ֔ד), "sacred" (הַקָּד֖וֹשׁ), "and·to·whom" (וְאֶל־מִ֖י). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "man" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root אולם ("and·to·whom") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ [and·they·said] (263) + אַנְשֵׁ֣י [man] (361) + בֵֽית־שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ [Beth-shemesh] (1052) + מִ֚י [who?] (50) + יוּכַ֣ל [is·able] (66) + לַעֲמֹ֔ד [to·stand] (144) + לִפְנֵ֨י [to·face·of] (170) + יְהֹוָ֧ה [Hashem] (26) + הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים [the·God] (91) + הַקָּד֖וֹשׁ [sacred] (415) + הַזֶּ֑ה [this] (17) + וְאֶל־מִ֖י [and·to·whom] (87) + יַעֲלֶ֥ה [will·go·up] (115) + מֵעָלֵֽינוּ [from·us] (206) = 3063.
Metzudat David
"Who can stand, etc." This means: Surely the greatest among us have died, and who remains who can stand before the Ark of the Lord, to guard it and be careful regarding its holiness?
Malbim
And they said, etc. “Who can stand?” This means that they were in doubt whether the cause of the disaster was due to the great holiness of the Ark, which requires that those who approach it be holy, and they had not sanctified themselves properly; and regarding this he said, “Who can stand before the Lord, this holy God?” Or whether the cause of the disaster was due to the place, in that He does not desire to dwell in this place, but only in another place prepared for the resting of the Shechinah; and regarding this he said, “And to whom shall He go up from us?”
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying: ‘The Philistines have brought back the ark of Hashem; come you down, and fetch it up to you.’
verse value 4857
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 67 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "go·down" (רְד֕וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "Kiriath-jearim" (קִרְיַת־יְעָרִ֖ים, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·inhabitants·of" (אֶל־יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י), "Kiriath-jearim" (קִרְיַת־יְעָרִ֖ים), "have·brought·back" (הֵשִׁ֤בוּ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "to·inhabitants·of" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root מלאך ("messengers") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ [and·they·sent] (360) + מַלְאָכִ֔ים [messengers] (141) + אֶל־יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י [to·inhabitants·of] (359) + קִרְיַת־יְעָרִ֖ים [Kiriath-jearim] (1040) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + הֵשִׁ֤בוּ [have·brought·back] (313) + פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ [Philistines] (860) + אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן [the·ark] (658) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + רְד֕וּ [go·down] (210) + הַעֲל֥וּ [fetch·up] (111) + אֹת֖וֹ [it] (407) + אֲלֵיכֶֽם [to·you] (101) = 4857.
Metzudat David
“Descend, ascend.” Descend to us, and ascend to you.
Malbim
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim. Now, this Beth-shemesh was in Judah, for it was situated on the border near Ekron (unlike the Beth-shemesh belonging to Issachar). Similarly, Kiriath-jearim was in Judah, on the border between Judah and Benjamin. Therefore, they sent messengers there, because it was close to them and part of their tribal territory, and so that they would not be afraid to station it near the land of the Philistines, lest they take it from them again. They informed them, saying: “The Philistines have returned the Ark of the Lord.” This means that they returned it of their own accord, for fear of Him had fallen upon them, and there is no need to fear that they will touch it again. Therefore, go down and bring it up to you.
Metzudat Zion
Malbim