The Meaning of 1 Samuel 6:18 Explained

1 Samuel 6:18

KJV: 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.

YLT: and the golden mice -- the number of all the cities of the Philistines -- for the five princes, from the fenced city even unto the hamlet of the villages, even unto the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah -- are unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite.

Darby: and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and villages of the peasantry; and they brought them as far as the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, which is to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite.

ASV: 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 unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 6:18 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 6:13-21 - Rashness Punished Reverence Blessed
The new cart, with its precious burden, must have come upon the men of Beth-shemesh like an apparition. The Ark was welcomed by them, after its seven months of absence, with great joy. But privilege entails responsibility; and their wanton curiosity and irreverence could not be permitted. Reverence for God Himself demanded the most careful behavior toward the Ark of His Presence, and when this was lacking, swift judgment ensued. See Numbers 1:50-51; Numbers 4:5; Numbers 4:16-30.
It is interesting to notice that when the Israelites were weaned from the Ark, their hearts lamented after the Lord, 1 Samuel 7:2. We cannot be permanently happy without God. Seasons of apathy and irreligion will sooner or later be succeeded by faith and love, as the frost of winter yields to the touch of spring. In this case, the revival was due to the patient labor of Samuel, and he did splendid service in urging the people to deal drastically with the idols of Canaan, which had cut them off from God as clouds hide the sun. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 6

1  After seven months the Philistines take counsel how to send back the ark
10  They bring it on a new cart with an offering unto Beth Shemesh
19  The people are smitten for looking into the ark
21  They send to them of Kiriath Jearim to fetch it

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 6:18 mean?

and rats the golden [according to] the number of all the cities of the Philistines [belonging] to the five lords cities [both] fortified and villages country and even as far as [stone of] Abel the large on which they set on that - the ark of Yahweh [which stone remains] to day this in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh
וְעַכְבְּרֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֗ב מִסְפַּ֞ר כָּל־ עָרֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ לַחֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הַסְּרָנִ֔ים מֵעִ֣יר מִבְצָ֔ר וְעַ֖ד כֹּ֣פֶר הַפְּרָזִ֑י וְעַ֣ד ׀ אָבֵ֣ל הַגְּדוֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִנִּ֤יחוּ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ אֵ֚ת אֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה עַ֚ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בֵּֽית־ הַשִּׁמְשִֽׁי

וְעַכְבְּרֵ֣י  and  rats 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עַכְבָּר  
Sense: mouse.
הַזָּהָ֗ב  the  golden 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
מִסְפַּ֞ר  [according  to]  the  number 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִסְפָּר  
Sense: number, tale.
כָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עָרֵ֤י  the  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
פְלִשְׁתִּים֙  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
לַחֲמֵ֣שֶׁת  [belonging]  to  the  five 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Number, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
הַסְּרָנִ֔ים  lords 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֶרֶן 
Sense: lord, ruler, tyrant.
מֵעִ֣יר  cities 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
מִבְצָ֔ר  [both]  fortified 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִבְצָר 
Sense: fortification, fortress, fortified city, stronghold.
כֹּ֣פֶר  villages 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּפֶר 
Sense: price of a life, ransom, bribe.
הַפְּרָזִ֑י  country 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פְּרָזִי  
Sense: villager, rural dweller, hamlet-dweller.
וְעַ֣ד ׀  and  even  as  far  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אָבֵ֣ל  [stone  of]  Abel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָבֵל 
Sense: city in northern Israel near Bethmaachah.
הַגְּדוֹלָ֗ה  the  large 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  on  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִנִּ֤יחוּ  they  set 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מֻנָּח  
Sense: to rest.
עָלֶ֙יהָ֙  on  that 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲר֣וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עַ֚ד  [which  stone  remains]  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הַיּ֣וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה  in  the  field 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ  of  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
הַשִּׁמְשִֽׁי  Beth  Shemesh 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית־שִׁמְשִׁי 
Sense: an inhabitant of Beth-shemesh.

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