The Philistines sought the counsel of their spiritual advisers out of desperation to appease the God of Israel.
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we shall send it to its place.” (v.2) This verse captures the urgency and fear among the Philistines as they grappled with the presence of the Ark of the LORD. After taking the Ark from Israel in battle (1 Samuel 4), they experienced calamities they could not understand, and they recognized the Ark’s power. The geographic context is the southwestern coastal region of Canaan (modern-day coastal areas of Israel and the Gaza Strip), which was the homeland of the Philistines during the 12th to 10th centuries BC. Their culture thrived in cities such as Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, which appear frequently in biblical narratives 1 Samuel 5:1-10).
In this passage, the Philistines summon their priests and diviners—people skilled in interpreting omens and seeking supernatural guidance—to advise them on how to remove the Ark without incurring more destruction upon themselves. The Philistines’ question, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD?” (v.2), highlights how they acknowledged the sacred object’s power yet did not fully understand its spiritual significance to Israel. During this era, around 1100-1000 BC, Israel was still in a transitional period from judges to kings, and the prophet Samuel was already recognized as a spiritual leader.
The Ark itself symbolized the living presence of the one true God (Exodus 25:21-22), and it foreshadowed the ultimate redemption that would come through Jesus Christ in the New Testament (Hebrews 9:4-15). The Philistines’ desire to figure out how to send it “to its place” reveals their attempt to rid themselves of divine judgment rather than submit and seek genuine faith in the God of Israel.
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1 Samuel 6:2 meaning
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we shall send it to its place.” (v.2) This verse captures the urgency and fear among the Philistines as they grappled with the presence of the Ark of the LORD. After taking the Ark from Israel in battle (1 Samuel 4), they experienced calamities they could not understand, and they recognized the Ark’s power. The geographic context is the southwestern coastal region of Canaan (modern-day coastal areas of Israel and the Gaza Strip), which was the homeland of the Philistines during the 12th to 10th centuries BC. Their culture thrived in cities such as Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, which appear frequently in biblical narratives 1 Samuel 5:1-10).
In this passage, the Philistines summon their priests and diviners—people skilled in interpreting omens and seeking supernatural guidance—to advise them on how to remove the Ark without incurring more destruction upon themselves. The Philistines’ question, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD?” (v.2), highlights how they acknowledged the sacred object’s power yet did not fully understand its spiritual significance to Israel. During this era, around 1100-1000 BC, Israel was still in a transitional period from judges to kings, and the prophet Samuel was already recognized as a spiritual leader.
The Ark itself symbolized the living presence of the one true God (Exodus 25:21-22), and it foreshadowed the ultimate redemption that would come through Jesus Christ in the New Testament (Hebrews 9:4-15). The Philistines’ desire to figure out how to send it “to its place” reveals their attempt to rid themselves of divine judgment rather than submit and seek genuine faith in the God of Israel.