1 Samuel 5:10
New International Version
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.”

New Living Translation
So they sent the Ark of God to the town of Ekron, but when the people of Ekron saw it coming they cried out, “They are bringing the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us, too!”

English Standard Version
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.”

Berean Standard Bible
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”

King James Bible
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

New King James Version
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!”

New American Standard Bible
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!”

NASB 1995
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people.”

NASB 1977
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it happened as the ark of God came to Ekron that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to put us and our people to death.”

Amplified Bible
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel [from Gath] to us, to kill us and our people.”

Christian Standard Bible
The people of Gath then sent the ark of God to Ekron, but when it got there, the Ekronites cried out, “They’ve moved the ark of Israel’s God to us to kill us and our people! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Gittites then sent the ark of God to Ekron, but when it got there, the Ekronites cried out, “They’ve moved the ark of Israel’s God to us to kill us and our people!”

American Standard Version
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

Contemporary English Version
so they sent the sacred chest to Ekron. But before they could take it through the town gates, the people of Ekron started screaming, "They've brought the sacred chest that belongs to the God of Israel! It will kill us and our families too!"

English Revised Version
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So the people of Gath sent the ark of God to Ekron. But when the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, "They brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill us."

Good News Translation
So they sent the Covenant Box to Ekron, another Philistine city; but when it arrived there, the people cried out, "They have brought the Covenant Box of the God of Israel here, in order to kill us all!"

International Standard Version
Then they sent the Ark of God to Ekron. When the Ark of God arrived in Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, "They have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to kill us and our people!"

Majority Standard Bible
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, ?They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!?

NET Bible
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But when the ark of God arrived at Ekron, the residents of Ekron cried out saying, "They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill our people!"

New Heart English Bible
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "Why have you brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

World English Bible
So they sent God’s ark to Ekron. As God’s ark came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to us, to kill us and our people.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they send the Ark of God to Ekron, and it comes to pass, at the coming in of the Ark of God to Ekron, that the Ekronites cry out, saying, “They have brought around the Ark of the God of Israel to us, to put us and our people to death.”

Young's Literal Translation
And they send the ark of God to Ekron, and it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of God to Ekron, that the Ekronites cry out, saying, 'They have brought round unto us the ark of the God of Israel, to put us to death -- and our people.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will send the ark of God to Ekron. And it will be when the ark of God came to Ekron, and the Ekronites will cry out, saying, They turned about to me the ark of the God of Israel to kill me and my people.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore they sent the ark of God into Accaron. And when the ark of God was come into Accaron, the Accaronites cried out, saying: They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, they sent the ark of God into Ekron. And when the ark of God had arrived at Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, so that it may kill us and our people!”

New American Bible
The ark of God was next sent to Ekron; but as it entered that city, the people there cried out, “Why have they brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill us and our kindred?”

New Revised Standard Version
So they sent the ark of the God of Israel to Ekron. But when the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “Why have they brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And when the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they sent the Ark of God to Aqrun, and the Aqrunites wailed and they said: “They returned the Ark of the God of Israel to us that it would kill us and our people!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying: 'They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they send away the ark of God to Ascalon; and it came to pass when the ark of God went into Ascalon, that the men of Ascalon cried out, saying, Why have ye brought back the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ark Afflicts the Philistines
9But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors. 10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!” 11Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 6:4-5
“What guilt offering should we send back to Him?” asked the Philistines. “Five gold tumors and five gold rats,” they said, “according to the number of rulers of the Philistines, since the same plague has struck both you and your rulers. / Make images of your tumors and of the rats that are ravaging the land. Give glory to the God of Israel, and perhaps He will lift His hand from you and your gods and your land.

1 Samuel 4:7-8
the Philistines were afraid. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before. / Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

1 Samuel 7:13
So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

2 Samuel 6:9-12
That day David feared the LORD and asked, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” / So he was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. / Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and all his household. ...

1 Chronicles 13:11-14
Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, as it is called to this day. / That day David feared God and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” / So he did not move the ark with him to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ...

1 Chronicles 15:13-15
It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.” / So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. / And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.

2 Kings 19:35-37
And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. / One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.

Isaiah 37:36-38
Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. / One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.

Exodus 12:29-30
Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock. / During the night Pharaoh got up—he and all his officials and all the Egyptians—and there was loud wailing in Egypt; for there was no house without someone dead.

Exodus 9:3-6
then the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks. / But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’” / The LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.” ...

Joshua 6:20-21
So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it. / With the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

Judges 16:23-24
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.” / And when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy who destroyed our land and multiplied our dead.”

Psalm 78:66
He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.

Acts 5:1-11
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. / With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. / Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? ...

Acts 12:21-23
On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. / And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” / Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

God to Ekron

Joshua 15:45
Ekron, with her towns and her villages:

Judges 1:18
Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

2 Kings 1:2
And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

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1 Samuel 5
1. The Philistines having brought the ark into Ashdod, set it in the house Dagon
3. Dagon is smitten down and cut and cut in pieces,
5. and they of Ashdod smitten with tumors
8. So God deals with them of Gath, when it was brought thither
10. and so with them of Ekron, when it was brought thither














So they sent the ark of God to Ekron
The phrase "So they sent" indicates a decisive action taken by the Philistines. The Hebrew root for "sent" is שָׁלַח (shalach), which often implies a deliberate dispatching or sending away. This reflects the Philistines' desperation to rid themselves of the ark due to the calamities it brought upon them. The "ark of God" is central to this narrative, representing the tangible presence and power of Yahweh among His people. Historically, the ark was a sacred chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, symbolizing God's covenant with Israel. "Ekron" was one of the five major Philistine cities, and its mention here highlights the widespread panic and fear among the Philistines as the ark moved from city to city, bringing divine judgment.

As the ark of God was entering Ekron
The phrase "was entering" suggests an ongoing action, indicating the ark's movement into Ekron. The Hebrew verb בּוֹא (bo) is used here, often meaning to come or go, emphasizing the ark's approach and the impending consequences. The "ark of God" again underscores the divine presence and the seriousness of the situation. Ekron, being the last of the Philistine cities to receive the ark, represents the culmination of the Philistines' failed attempts to control or contain the power of the God of Israel. This movement of the ark serves as a narrative device to demonstrate God's sovereignty and the futility of opposing His will.

the people of Ekron cried out
The "people of Ekron" refers to the inhabitants of this Philistine city. Their "cried out" is from the Hebrew זָעַק (za'aq), which conveys a loud, urgent call for help or protest. This reaction is one of fear and desperation, as they anticipate the same divine afflictions that befell the other Philistine cities. The collective cry of the people highlights the widespread recognition of the ark's power and the fear it instilled, serving as a testament to God's might and the acknowledgment of His supremacy even among the enemies of Israel.

'Why have you brought the ark of the God of Israel here
The question "Why have you brought" reveals the Ekronites' bewilderment and distress. It suggests a lack of understanding or control over the situation. The "ark of the God of Israel" is a significant title, emphasizing the ark's association with the God of Israel, Yahweh, and His covenantal relationship with His people. This acknowledgment by the Philistines of the ark's divine origin and power underscores the narrative's theme of God's dominion over all nations and peoples, not just Israel.

to kill us and our people?'
The phrase "to kill us and our people" reflects the Ekronites' fear of death and destruction, which they associate with the presence of the ark. The Hebrew root מוּת (muth) for "kill" indicates a fear of mortality and divine judgment. This fear is not unfounded, as previous cities experienced plagues and devastation due to the ark's presence. The mention of "our people" highlights the communal aspect of their fear, recognizing that the consequences of the ark's presence affect the entire community. This serves as a powerful reminder of the seriousness of God's holiness and the consequences of opposing His will, inspiring a reverent awe for His power and justice.

Verses 10, 11. - The Ekronites cried out. Convinced by this second and more fatal plague that the ark was the cause of their punishment, the people of Ekron, when it was passed on to them from Gath, protested loudly against its presence. Compelled to receive it until the lords of the Philistines could be convened in council to decide upon its ultimate destination, the plague broke out so heavily among them that they were in utter dismay. For the rendering deadly destruction is untenable. Literally the words are, "a dismay of death;" but in Hebrew death added to a word of this sort simply means "very great." So "terrors of death" in Psalm 55:4 are very great terrors. In the next verse we learn that many did die, but the words used here describe the mental agony and despair of the people as they saw the ark, which had wrought elsewhere so great misery, brought unto them.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So they sent
וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ (way·šal·lə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

the ark
אֲר֥וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of God
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

to Ekron,
עֶקְר֑וֹן (‘eq·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6138: Ekron -- a Philistine city

but as it
אֲר֤וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

arrived,
כְּב֨וֹא (kə·ḇō·w)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the Ekronites
הָֽעֶקְרֹנִ֜ים (hā·‘eq·rō·nîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6139: Ekronite -- inhabitant of Ekron

cried out,
וַיִּזְעֲק֨וּ (way·yiz·‘ă·qū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2199: To shriek, to announce, convene publicly

“They have brought
הֵסַ֤בּוּ (hê·sab·bū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround

us
אֵלַי֙ (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the ark
אֲרוֹן֙ (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of the God
אֱלֹהֵ֣י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

in order to kill us
לַהֲמִיתֵ֖נִי (la·hă·mî·ṯê·nî)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

and
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

our people!”
עַמִּֽי׃ (‘am·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock


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OT History: 1 Samuel 5:10 So they sent the ark of God (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
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