They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.

1 SAMUEL 5:8KJV
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1 Samuel 5:8 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 5:8 mean?

1 Samuel 5:8 describes how the Philistines, troubled by the presence of the ark of the God of Israel, gathered their leaders to decide what to do with it. They chose to move the ark to the city of Gath, hoping to relieve themselves of the problems it seemed to be causing.

The verse shows the Philistine rulers (called "lords") meeting together after experiencing distress since capturing the ark from Israel. Unsure how to handle the ark, which they saw as the source of their troubles, they decided to send it away to another Philistine city. This action is part of a series of attempts by the Philistines to deal with the consequences of possessing the ark.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 5:8

  • "Lords" (סַרְנֵי, sarney): This word refers to the rulers or leaders of the Philistines. The use of this term shows that the decision was made at the highest level, not by ordinary people.
  • "Ark" (אֲרוֹן, aron): This word means a chest or box, but here it specifically refers to the sacred ark that represented God's presence for Israel. The Philistines are treating it as a powerful object, not fully understanding its significance.
  • "Carried about" (סָבַב, savav): This word means to turn or move around. The Philistines decided to transfer the ark from one city to another, hoping to shift the problems away from themselves.

Why 1 Samuel 5:8 matters

  • The verse highlights the Philistines’ fear and confusion about the God of Israel and His ark, showing they recognized its power but did not understand it.
  • It connects to the wider story of how the Philistines tried to rid themselves of the ark, which only brought more trouble as it moved from city to city.
  • This verse helps explain the escalating events that follow, showing the Philistines’ attempts to solve a spiritual problem with practical solutions, which ultimately fail.

Where else these words appear

“lords” Hebrew H5633 · used in 20 verses

  • Joshua 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
  • Judges 16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
  • 1 Samuel 6:18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.

“Gath” Hebrew H1661 · used in 31 verses

  • Joshua 11:22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
  • 1 Samuel 27:4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
  • 1 Chronicles 7:21 And Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.

“about” Hebrew H5437 · used in 147 verses

  • Genesis 2:11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
  • 2 Samuel 20:12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
  • Psalms 48:12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.