1 Samuel 6:17-18 Meaning: The Payment of the Philistines
17These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone on which they set down Yahweh’s ark. That stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
17And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth–shemite.
17And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass-offering unto Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
17And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines have sent back--a guilt-offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18and the golden mice--the number of all the cities of the Philistines--for the five princes, from the fenced city even unto the hamlet of the villages, even unto the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah-- are unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite.
17And these are the golden sores which the Philistines returned as a trespass-offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gazah one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18and the golden mice, [according to] the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and villages of the peasantry; [and they brought them] as far as the great [stone of] Abel, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, [which] is to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did the Philistines send golden tumors and mice with the Ark? This passage records their specific guilt offering, acknowledging Yahweh's judgment.
Context
The Philistines had captured the Ark of God in battle and brought it into their own territory. But wherever the Ark went, to Ashdod, Gath, or Ekron, the people suffered tumors and a plague of mice that devastated the land. After seven months of misery, their priests and diviners advised them to send the Ark back with a guilt offering: five golden tumors and golden mice, one for each of the five Philistine lords. This offering was meant to acknowledge that the God of Israel had indeed sent the plagues. The Ark traveled on a cart pulled by two milk cows straight to Beth Shemesh, where it came to rest on a great stone in Joshua’s field. These two verses enumerate exactly what the Philistines sent, city by city, and note that the stone remained as a witness into the writer’s own day.
Key Words
The word translated guilt offering here is the Hebrew asham. It means more than just a gift; it carries the sense of compensation for wrongdoing, a debt acknowledged and paid. The Philistines were not simply getting rid of a trophy. They were admitting that they had trespassed against Yahweh and were trying to make things right according to the customs of the time. The tumors (Hebrew techor) refer to the painful swellings that struck the people. Making a model of the plague itself was an ancient way of saying, “You sent this; we accept it; now take it away.” And the mice (Hebrew akhbar) signified the parallel plague that ruined the crops. The number mattered: one golden tumor for each of the five capital cities, but golden mice for every town and village, because the mice had ravaged the whole countryside. Every community felt the bite, and every community sent a small golden mouse as a token of their shared guilt.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have noted that the Philistines, though not part of God’s covenant people, recognized His hand in their suffering. Matthew Henry saw this as a lesson that even the enemies of God can be forced to confess His power. The Wesleyan tradition emphasizes the asham as a pattern of restitution: the offenders made specific compensation for specific sins. Some commentators point out a discrepancy between the five mice proposed in verse 4 and the many mice sent here. The consensus is that the priests’ original plan was minimal, but when the plague affected every village, the people sent as many mice as there were settlements. This shows a thoroughness in their repentance, even if it was not a change of heart toward the true God. The stone of Abel, where the Ark rested, remains a memorial of God’s mercy in receiving the offering and restoring His presence to Israel.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
When have you seen a problem in your life that just would not go away? Maybe you tried everything to fix it, and only when you stopped and asked whether God was trying to get your attention did you begin to see clearly. The Philistines had to face the truth: their suffering had a source, and it was beyond their control. This week, try to name one area where you have been fighting against circumstances without asking God what He might be saying. You don’t need to make a golden model of your struggle, but you can write it down, admit it to a friend, or simply sit in silence and say, “Lord, I see Your hand in this.” That small act of acknowledgment can be the first step toward peace.
Main takeaway: The Philistines sent specific golden models of their plagues to confess that Yahweh had judged them, and God accepted their offering.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
The Philistines made gold models of their sore bumps and little mice to say sorry to God. They knew God had sent the bumps and mice to help them see He was in charge.
For ages 9, 12
The Philistines weren’t just giving gifts. They were admitting that the God of Israel had punished them for taking the Ark. They made five gold tumors (one for each main city) and many gold mice (one for every town and village) because the mice had eaten grain everywhere. This shows they understood that God sees every place and every person’s need to say sorry. What would you make a model of if you needed to say sorry to God?
Questions People Ask
Why did the Philistines send golden tumors and golden mice?
They were making a guilt offering to Yahweh for taking the Ark. The tumors and mice were the plagues God had sent on them. Making golden models of the plagues was their way of saying, 'We know You sent these punishments, and we are sorry.'
Why were there five golden tumors but many golden mice?
The five golden tumors represented the five main Philistine cities (Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron). But the plague of mice had destroyed fields in every town and village, so each settlement sent its own golden mouse.
Is the great stone of Abel still there today?
The Bible says that stone 'remains to this day' in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. That was true when the book was written, but we don't know where it is now. It was a memorial that reminded people the Ark had rested there.
What is a guilt offering in the Bible?
A guilt offering (Hebrew asham) was a sacrifice given to make up for a wrong done, especially when someone had sinned against God or another person. It usually included a payment or compensation, not just a plea for forgiveness.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study