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.

1 SAMUEL 6:11KJV
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1 Samuel 6:11 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 6:11 mean?

1 Samuel 6:11 describes how the Philistines placed the ark of the LORD, along with a chest containing golden models of mice and tumors, onto a cart. This was part of their effort to return the ark to Israel, hoping to end the plagues they believed were caused by keeping it.

The verse takes place after the Philistines had captured the ark and suffered from various afflictions. Their leaders decided to send the ark back with offerings—golden images representing the plagues (mice and tumors)—as a guilt offering to the God of Israel. The verse records the practical step of loading these items onto a cart, preparing for their return.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 6:11

  • "ark" (אָרוֹן, aron): This word refers to the sacred chest that represented God's presence among the Israelites. Its mention here highlights the seriousness with which the Philistines treated the object.
  • "coffer" (אַרְגַּז, argaz): This word means a chest or box. Here, it refers to the container holding the golden offerings, showing the Philistines' attempt to make restitution in a tangible way.
  • "mice" (עַכְבָּר, akhbar): The golden mice likely symbolize the infestation that struck the Philistines, acknowledging the specific nature of their suffering.
  • "emerods" (טְחֹר, techor): This word is often understood as "tumors" or "swellings," representing the physical afflictions the Philistines experienced. The golden images served as a symbolic offering for healing.

Why 1 Samuel 6:11 matters

  • The verse clarifies that the Philistines did not return the ark alone; they included symbolic offerings, showing their belief that their troubles were connected to the ark and their respect for Israel’s God.
  • The details about the mice and tumors connect the verse to the larger story of the plagues, helping readers understand the Philistines’ reasoning and fear.
  • This verse sets up the next events, showing the careful and deliberate way the Philistines tried to appease God, which contrasts with how the Israelites later handle the ark’s return.

Where else these words appear

“coffer” Hebrew H712 · used in 3 verses

  • 1 Samuel 6:8 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 trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
  • 1 Samuel 6:15 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.

“mice” Hebrew H5909 · used in 6 verses

  • Leviticus 11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
  • 1 Samuel 6:4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, 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.
  • 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.

“emerods” Hebrew H2914 · used in 8 verses

  • Deuteronomy 28:27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
  • 1 Samuel 5:9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
  • 1 Samuel 6:4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, 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.

“images” Hebrew H6754 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
  • Numbers 33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
  • Psalms 73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.