I Samuel 5:9 · Bible study
1 Samuel 5:9 Commentary: Yahweh's Hand Against Gath
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore I Samuel 5:9: God's judgment on the Philistines through tumors, revealing His power over pagan gods and nations. Commentary, context, and application.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's hand brought panic and tumors upon all classes in Gath when the ark arrived, demonstrating His power over Philistine gods and cities.
- Key words: Hand (yad), panic (mehumah), strike (nakah), tumors (techorim).
- Main debate: Whether the plague was a natural epidemic (bubonic plague with rodent vectors) or a supernatural affliction with no physical cause.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over nations and the futility of idolatry; God defends His honor and cannot be manipulated.
- Best use: A cautionary narrative on the dangers of treating God's presence as a talisman and the need for humble submission to His authority.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
It was so, that after they had carried it there, Yahweh’s hand was against the city with a very great confusion; and he struck the men of the city, both small and great, so that tumors broke out on them.
KJV King James Version 1769
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with a very great discomfiture: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors brake out upon them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and it cometh to pass after they have brought it round, that the hand of Jehovah is against the city--a very great destruction; and He smiteth the men of the city, from small even unto great; and break forth on them do emerods.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And it came to pass that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with very great panic; and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and hemorrhoids broke out upon them.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And while they were carrying it about, the hand of the Lord came upon every city with an exceeding great slaughter: and he smote the men of every city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts. And the Gethites consulted together, and made themselves seats of skins.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y aconteció que como la hubieron pasado, la mano de Jehová fué contra la ciudad con grande quebrantamiento; é hirió los hombres de aquella ciudad desde el chico hasta el grande, que se llenaron de hemorroides.
E aconteceu que quando a houveram passado, a mão do SENHOR foi contra a cidade com grande tormento; e feriu os homens daquela cidade desde o pequeno até o grande, que se encheram de chagas.
Mais après qu’ elle eut été transportée, la main de l’ Éternel fut sur la ville, et il y eut une très grande consternation; il frappa les gens de la ville depuis le petit jusqu’ au grand, et ils eurent une éruption d’hémorroïdes.
Da sie aber dieselbe dahin getragen hatten, ward durch die Hand des HERRN in der Stadt ein sehr großer Schrecken, und er schlug die Leute in der Stadt, beide, klein und groß, also daß an ihnen Beulen ausbrachen.
En het geschiedde, nadat zij die hadden rondom gedragen, zo was de hand des HEEREN tegen die stad met een zeer grote kwelling; want Hij sloeg de lieden dier stad van den kleine tot den grote, en zij hadden spenen in de verborgene plaatsen.
E trasportaron quivi l’arca dell’Iddio d’Israele. E come l’ebbero trasportata, la mano dell’Eterno si volse contro la città, e vi fu una immensa costernazione. L’Eterno colpì gli uomini della città, piccoli e grandi, e un flagello d’emorroidi scoppiò fra loro.
A gdy ją odprowadzili, powstała ręka Pańska przeciw miastu trpieniem bardzo wielkiem, i zarażała męże miasta od małego aż do wielkiego, i naczyniło się im wrzodów na skrytych miejscach.
После того, как отправили его, была рука Господа на городе — ужас весьма великий, и поразил Господь жителей города от малого до большого, и показались на них наросты.
運到 之後， 耶和華 的手 攻擊 那城，使那城 的 人 大 大 驚慌，無論 大 小都 生 痔瘡。
But after they had taken it away, the hand of the Lord was stretched out against the town for its destruction: and the signs of disease came out on all the men of the town, small and great.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 5:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the hand of Yahweh in this verse represents His direct, severe judgment upon the Philistines. The Hebrew word mehumah (panic/confusion) indicates not merely physical disease but a state of utter disarray, supernatural terror that accompanied the plague (Cambridge Bible; Keil & Delitzsch). The tumors (Hebrew techorim) are consistently understood as a humiliating and painful affliction, striking both small and great, meaning every class and age (Gill; Matthew Henry). This judgment follows the ark's removal from Ashdod to Gath, confirming that no Philistine city could harbor the ark of God without consequence. The consensus is that God's purpose was to demonstrate His absolute supremacy over the Philistine gods and to force the Philistines to recognize His power.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God sovereignly judged the Philistines for their idolatry and dishonor of the ark, using a humiliating and painful plague to demonstrate His power over their gods and to compel them to return the ark to Israel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the plague | All traditions see this as a direct divine judgment on the Philistines for their idolatry and presumption. | Some interpreters (e.g., many modern scholars) view it as a natural disease, likely bubonic plague carried by rodents (supported by the golden mice in 6:4-5). Others emphasize its supernatural character, given the specific timing and humiliation factor, pointing to the hand of Yahweh as the direct cause. |
| Meaning of the tumors on the secret parts | The affliction was painful and shameful, striking a private area, underscoring the humiliation of the Philistine pride. | Some commentators (Gill, Wesley) stress that Hebrew implies hidden, internal tumors, making them more severe. Others (Cambridge Bible) render the term simply as 'boils' or 'tumors' without specifying location, focusing on the general outbreak. |
| Purpose of God's judgment | God intended to demonstrate His power over the Philistine gods (especially Dagon) and to force recognition of the ark's true significance. | Some see a purely punitive motive (the Philistines dishonored God by capturing the ark). Others emphasize a corrective purpose: to bring the Philistines to repentance (Matthew Henry suggests the earlier destruction of Dagon could have prevented further judgment if they had repented). |
| The scope of judgment | The plague affected everyone in the city, 'both small and great,' indicating comprehensive divine judgment. | Debate exists over whether this implies every individual was struck or that the judgment reached all classes and ages; Gill holds the former view, while others allow for a partial but widespread affliction. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Philistine cities of Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron formed a league of five lords (1 Samuel 6:17). After capturing the ark at Ebenezer (1 Samuel 4), the Philistines placed it in the temple of Dagon in Ashdod. When Dagon fell prostrate before the ark and the people were struck with tumors (v.6), the Philistines moved the ark to Gath, hoping to escape judgment. Verse 9 shows the failure of this strategy: Yahweh's hand was against the city with a very great destruction (or panic). The phrase both small and great emphasizes the universality of the plague, no one was exempt. The tumors, likely a form of bubonic plague spread by rodents (as the golden mice in chapter 6 suggest), were especially shameful because they affected the secret parts (Gill notes the Hebrew implies hidden, internal tumors, more painful and difficult to treat). Culturally, the Philistines prided themselves on military strength and religious zeal; this affliction struck at both identity and dignity. The movement of the ark from city to city reveals the Philistines' desperation and their gradual recognition that God's hand was opposed to them. By the time the ark reached Ekron, the cry went up to heaven (v.12).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants in the Hebrew of I Samuel 5:9. The major differences appear in translations: the KJV and YLT render the affliction as “emerods in their secret parts,” while modern versions (WEB, BSB, ASV) use “tumors” or “boils.” The Vulgate adds a detail not found in the Masoretic Text, that the men made themselves seats of skins (possibly for comfort), a reading supported by some Septuagint manuscripts but not in the Hebrew (Adam Clarke). Some ancient versions also describe the plague as a “bloody flux” (Clarke). Luther’s German translation uses “pestilence” or “plague.”
Reception History
Christian interpreters have read I Samuel 5:9 as a vivid example of divine retribution for idolatry and pride. Early church fathers such as Augustine saw the Philistine affliction as a type of the final judgment on unbelievers. Medieval commentators often allegorized the tumors as the “shameful desires” that result from turning away from God. During the Reformation, Calvin and Luther emphasized the sovereignty of God displayed in the ark’s journey, no human power can contain or control God. Matthew Henry (18th century) drew pastoral lessons about God’s patience: the judgment on Gath was more severe than on Ashdod because the Philistines ignored the earlier warning. John Gill noted the progression of suffering, arguing that the tumors became more internal and painful as the ark moved. Modern scholarship, drawing on archaeology and medical history, often identifies the plague as bubonic plague linked to the black rat population; the golden tumors and mice in 6:4-5 support this.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s hand is impartial in judgment. The same hand that struck Ashdod struck Gath (vv.6,9). No city or nation can escape accountability before the Lord.
- Pride invites humiliation. The Philistines assumed they could contain the ark as a trophy; instead, God brought a shameful plague upon their bodies. The affliction of secret parts (Keil & Delitzsch) metaphorically deflates human arrogance.
- Judgment progresses with refusal to repent. Moving the ark did not solve the problem, it spread the judgment. Each city faced greater panic until they finally sent the ark back to Israel (5:11).
Five-point outline
- The ark as a symbol of God’s presence and power.
- The futility of human strategies to escape divine judgment.
- The universality of the plague (all ages, classes).
- The specific shame of the affliction: tumors on secret parts (Gill’s Exposition notes the humiliation factor).
- The ultimate outcome: recognition that God alone is God (cf. 5:11-12).
Illustration hooks
- A person who repeatedly ignores warning signs and finds the problem worsening, like the Philistines moving the ark, rather than addressing the root cause.
- An athlete who sustains an injury in the very area of their pride and strength, forcing them to reconsider their identity.
- A company that tries to relocate a toxic issue rather than resolve it, only to find the problem spreading.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God choose such a specific and embarrassing judgment?
- How do we know when suffering is divine discipline versus natural consequence?
- Can God still bring judgment on nations today, and what does that look like?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with a God who acts decisively to defend His honor and correct human pride. As you read I Samuel 5:9, notice the progression of events from Ashdod to Gath to Ekron. The Philistines did not ask what God wanted; they simply relocated the problem. This small-group guide will help you trace the themes of divine sovereignty, judgment, and the call to humble response.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the phrase “Yahweh’s hand” in this verse? How is it different from merely saying “God punished them”?
- The Cambridge Bible notes that mehumah (panic/confusion) suggests more than physical disease. What kinds of confusion did the Philistines experience?
- Why do you think the plague affected “both small and great”? What does this say about divine justice?
- Gill’s commentary points out that the tumors were especially painful and hidden. In what ways does shame factor into God’s judgment here?
- Compare this verse with Deuteronomy 2:15. What pattern do you see in the phrase “Yahweh’s hand was against them”?
- If the Philistines had responded differently, if they had repented and returned the ark humbly, what might have happened? How does this challenge your view of God’s patience?
- How can we recognize when God is “hand heavy” against something in our own lives, and what should our response be?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 2:15 | Moreover Yahweh’s hand was against them, to destroy them from the middle of the camp, until they were consumed. |
| I Samuel 5:6 | But Yahweh’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders. |
| I Samuel 5:11 | They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there. |
| I Samuel 6:4 | Then they said, “What should the trespass offering be which we shall return to him?” They said, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. |
| I Samuel 6:5 | Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his hand from you, from your gods, and from your land. |
| I Samuel 6:11 | They put Yahweh’s ark on the cart, and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors. |
| I Samuel 7:13 | So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. Yahweh’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. |
| I Samuel 12:15 | But if you will not listen to Yahweh’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then Yahweh’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the Vulgate and Septuagint describe the plague at Gath in much more graphic detail than the Hebrew text, specifying a bloody flux or dysentery. He adds that these versions mention the people making seats of skins to sit more comfortably because of their painful condition.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge note clarifies two key Hebrew expressions in this verse: the affliction was not literal destruction but an overwhelming panic, and the physical ailment was not the archaic "emerods" but boils that broke out on the people. The shift emphasizes terror and disease, not military devastation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that God's judgment struck every person in the city without exception, young and old alike, and that the affliction fell on their most private parts. This detail highlights the complete humiliation of the Philistines, who were shamed in the very place they tried to hide their shame.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the plague at Gath was more severe than the one at Ashdod. The tumors there were inward and hidden, making them more painful and harder to cure than the outward ones at Ashdod. The destruction struck every person, young and old, from every rank.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draw attention to the Hebrew grammatical construction: the phrase “very great alarm” in the account of Gath functions as either an adverb or an accusative modifying the main sentence. They then note that Jehovah struck the city’s inhabitants, both small and great, causing boils to break out on their hinder parts.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the Philistines moving the ark from city to city as a flight from God, not a search for relief. Their repeated refusal to repent, even after Dagon's destruction and severe plagues, shows hardened hearts that only want God removed. The escalating judgment across Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron proves that resisting God's presence only deepens the disaster.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that the Philistines could have avoided further devastation if they had repented of their idolatry and humbled themselves before God after Dagon's downfall. Instead, their stubborn refusal to see God's hand at work only brought heavier judgment until they finally cried out.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the affliction struck the worst possible form of the disease: internal hemorrhoids, which physicians agree are far more painful than the external kind. Compounding the suffering, this inward malady lies beyond the reach of ordinary remedies.