As a guilt offering to the LORD, the Philistines had sent back one gold tumor for each city: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 6:17? 2. What significance do the "gold tumors" hold in 1 Samuel 6:17 for Israel? 3. How does 1 Samuel 6:17 demonstrate God's sovereignty over the Philistines? 4. Connect 1 Samuel 6:17 with other instances of offerings in the Old Testament. 5. How can we apply the concept of restitution from 1 Samuel 6:17 today? 6. What lessons about obedience can we learn from the Philistines in 1 Samuel 6:17? 7. What is the significance of the golden tumors in 1 Samuel 6:17? 8. How do the golden offerings in 1 Samuel 6:17 reflect ancient Israelite religious practices? 9. Why were the Philistines compelled to send offerings in 1 Samuel 6:17? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 6? 11. What is Gath's significance in the Bible? 12. How can David's earlier triumphs over the Philistines, such as in 1 Samuel 17, be reconciled with Achish's acceptance of him in 1 Samuel 29? 13. What is Gath's significance in the Bible? 14. What is Ashkelon's biblical significance? Discussion Questions 1. How does the account of the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant illustrate the concept of God's sovereignty over all nations?2. In what ways do the plagues experienced by the Philistines parallel the plagues in Egypt, and what can we learn from these parallels about God's power and judgment? 3. How does the concept of a guilt offering in Leviticus help us understand the actions of the Philistines in 1 Samuel 6:17? 4. What lessons can we learn from the Philistines' eventual decision to return the Ark and make a guilt offering, and how can these lessons apply to our own lives? 5. How does this passage challenge us to consider the ways we handle the sacred aspects of our faith, and what steps can we take to ensure we are honoring God appropriately?1. What does the Philistines' decision to return the Ark tell us about the power and authority of God? 2. How did the Philistines demonstrate their understanding of guilt and atonement? 3. Why did the Philistines choose tumors and rats as symbols for their guilt offering? 4. What significance did the direct path of the cows have in the narrative? What does it teach us about divine intervention? 5. How did the Israelites react to the return of the Ark and why? 6. Why do you think God punished the men of Beth-shemesh for looking inside the Ark? 7. How does this chapter reinforce the theme of "fear and obedience" towards God? 8. What lessons can we learn from the Philistines and apply in our lives about respecting what is holy? 9. How does the story illustrate the idea of sacrificial offerings? How can we apply this concept in our lives today? 10. How can the events in this chapter inform the way we handle our own transgressions and seek atonement? 11. What does the chapter say about the dangers of curiosity without reverence? 12. How does the chapter illustrate the consequences of underestimating the power and holiness of God? 13. How can we understand the concept of divine retribution in the context of today's society? 14. How can we relate the fear and reverence the people of Beth-shemesh felt to our personal spiritual journey? 15. How would you handle a situation where you felt that something in your life was causing distress like the Ark did to the Philistines? 16. How can we ensure that our actions align with the respect and reverence due to God's commandments? 17. How do you react when you realize you've acted irreverently or disrespectfully towards God, and how should you rectify it? 18. How can we learn to discern God's hand in the situations we face in life, as the Philistines did with the Ark? 19. Can you think of a modern example where people faced negative consequences as a result of disrespecting something sacred? 20. How can the narrative of this chapter inspire us to maintain a healthy fear and respect for God in our daily life? Links 1 Samuel 6:17 NIV1 Samuel 6:17 NLT 1 Samuel 6:17 ESV 1 Samuel 6:17 NASB 1 Samuel 6:17 KJV 1 Samuel 6:17 Commentaries Bible Hub |



