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 6:4KJVWhat does 1 Samuel 6:4 mean?
1 Samuel 6:4 describes how the Philistines asked what kind of offering they should send back to Israel’s God to make up for taking the Ark. The Philistines’ advisors told them to send five golden images of the tumors (emerods) and five golden mice, matching the number of Philistine rulers, because the same plague had struck all of them.
In this verse, the Philistines are speaking to their own priests and diviners, trying to figure out how to return the Ark of the Covenant after suffering from plagues. The advisors suggest a “trespass offering” that symbolically represents both the physical affliction (tumors) and the destruction (mice) that had affected all five Philistine cities and their leaders.
The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 6:4
- “Offering” (אָשָׁם, ’asham): This word means a guilt or trespass offering, highlighting that the Philistines saw their action as an offense needing atonement, not just a simple mistake.
- “Emerods” (טְחֹרִים, techorim): This word refers to the tumors or swellings that struck the Philistines, showing the offering was shaped to match their specific suffering.
- “Mice” (עַכְבָּר, akhbar): The use of this word points to the belief that mice (or rats) were part of the plague, possibly destroying their crops, so the offering included both what hurt their bodies and their land.
- “Lords” (סֶרֶן, seren): This word refers to the five rulers of the Philistine cities, making clear that the offering was meant to cover every leader and region affected.
Why 1 Samuel 6:4 matters
- 1 Samuel 6:4 shows that the Philistines recognized the plagues as punishment from Israel’s God and tried to make amends in a way that matched their understanding of guilt and restitution.
- The verse helps explain why the Philistines sent such specific and unusual objects—golden tumors and mice—showing their attempt to directly address the causes of their suffering.
- This verse connects to the larger story by illustrating the Philistines’ fear and respect for the power of the Ark, and how they sought advice from their own religious leaders to resolve their crisis.