1 Samuel 6:2
in 1 Samuel 6the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how to send it back to its place.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall send it to its place.
KJV
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 6
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe diviners - קסמים kosemim, from קסם kasam, to presage or prognosticate. See Deu 18:10. In what their pretended art consisted, we know not.
This site's exposition
in the land of the Philistines seven months
on 1 Samuel 6:1-3
The ark spends seven months among the Philistines before they summon “the priests and diviners” to ask what to do with it. Their answer echoes Israel's own law: send it back with “a guilt offering”, and they will learn “why His hand has not been lifted from you”. The priests never name the Lord, yet they fear him.
This site's exposition
the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners
The Philistines summon their own priests and diviners. Albert Barnes noted that the word for priests here is the one used for the priests of the LORD, while the word for diviners always marks pagan divining. Their question already asks how to send the ark back to its place.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 3, Chapter 4 · Written before 604.
proposed
2. Who are those who consult priests and diviners, if not the faithful of the holy Church, who desire to hold the way of eternal salvation without error? And who are understood as the priests and diviners, if not the preachers of the holy Church? They are indeed priests on account of the offering of the sacrament, and diviners by the ministry of preaching.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They were supposed to be best acquainted both with the rules of wisdom and with the rites of worship and atonement. And the Israelites being their neighbours, and famed above all people for the institutions of their religion, they had no doubt the curiosity to acquaint themselves with their laws and usages; and therefore it was proper to ask them, What shall we do to the ark of Jehovah?
And the Philistines called for the priests and for the diviners,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
2, 3. the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners--The designed restoration of the ark was not, it seems, universally approved of, and many doubts were expressed whether the prevailing pestilence was really a judgment of Heaven.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The word for “priest” here is the same as that used for the priests of the true God; that for diviners is everywhere used of idolatrous or superstitious divining. Three modes of divination are described Eze 21:21-22, by arrows, by teraphim, and by the entrails of beasts. (Compare Exo 7:11; Dan 2:2).
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ | vaiyikreu | and they summoned | H7121 → | 733 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| לַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים | lakohanim | <to> the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙ | velakosemim | and <to> the diviners | H7080 → | |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מַֽה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| נַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה | naaseh | will we do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לַאֲר֣וֹן | laaron | to [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הוֹדִעֻ֕נוּ | hodiunu | make known to us | H3045 → | 945 times |
| בַּמֶּ֖ה | bameh | <in> how? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| נְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ | neshallechenu | will we send it | H7971 → | 845 times |
| לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃ | limkomo | to own place its | H4725 → | 401 times |
וַיִּקְרְא֣וּand they summoned
vaiyikreuH7121 →733 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
לַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים<to> the priests
lakohanimH3548 →750 times
וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙and <to> the diviners
velakosemimH7080 →
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
מַֽה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
נַּעֲשֶׂ֖הwill we do
naasehH6213 →2628 times
לַאֲר֣וֹןto [the] ark of
laaronH727 →202 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הוֹדִעֻ֕נוּmake known to us
hodiunuH3045 →945 times
בַּמֶּ֖ה<in> how?
bamehH4100 →752 times
נְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּwill we send it
neshallechenuH7971 →845 times
לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃to own place its
limkomoH4725 →401 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 2:2So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
it leads to
- Daniel 1:20
In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Daniel 4:6
So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
- Exodus 7:11
But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.
- Daniel 1:20
Through
Exodus 7:11But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.
it leads to
- Exodus 7:22
But the magicians of Egypt did the same things by their magic arts. So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 7:22
Through
Daniel 5:7The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be…
it leads to
- Daniel 5:29
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
- Daniel 5:16
But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in…
- Daniel 2:48
Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
- Daniel 5:29
Through
Genesis 41:8In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
it leads to
- Daniel 4:7
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me.
- Daniel 4:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 3, Chapter 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
