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18 There were as many golden mice as there were cities under the rule of the five lords of the Philistines, both the fortified cities and the country villages. The large rock upon which they set the Ark of the Lord is in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh to this day.

19 Punishment for Irreverence. He slew some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord. He slew seventy of them.[a] The people raised up a lamentation because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter. 20 The men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? To whom should we send it?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 6:19 He slew seventy of them: here is another instance of God meting out the punishment he had promised for disobedience. God tried over and over again to bring back his people to his ways to avoid further retribution.

18 And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers—the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock on which the Levites set the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

19 But God struck down(A) some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy[a] of them to death because they looked(B) into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them. 20 And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand(C) in the presence of the Lord, this holy(D) God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 6:19 A few Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint 50,070