I Samuel 6:21 · Bible study
1 Samuel 6:21 Commentary: From Beth Shemesh to Kiriath Jearim
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why the ark was sent to Kiriath Jearim instead of Shiloh. Historical context, meaning of Hebrew terms, and theological lessons from 1 Samuel 6:21.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The men of Beth Shemesh, fearful of God’s judgment, send the ark to the hill town of Kiriath Jearim for safekeeping, rather than returning it to Shiloh.
- Key words: Hebrew roots: shuv (bring back, H7725), yarad (come down, H3381), alah (take up, H5927). The directional contrast emphasizes the geography between valley and hill.
- Main debate: Why not Shiloh? Commentators propose either Shiloh was destroyed by Philistines (Clarke, Cambridge) or Kiriath Jearim was chosen for its strength and distance from the border (Gill).
- Theological theme: God’s holiness is both terrifying and protective. The ark cannot be treated with curiosity or contempt; it demands reverence.
- Best use: Preaching on holy fear, God’s presence, and the importance of proper worship. Useful for Old Testament narrative series on the ark.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up with you.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back Yahweh’s ark. Come down and bring it up to yourselves.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath–jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Jehovah; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And they send messengers unto the inhabitants of Kirjath-Jearim, saying, `The Philistines have sent back the ark of Jehovah; come down, take it up unto you.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of Jehovah; come down, fetch it up to you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Cariathiarim, saying: The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord, come ye down and fetch it up to you.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y enviaron mensajeros á los de Chîriath-jearim, diciendo: Los Filisteos han vuelto el arca de Jehová: descended pues, y llevadla á vosotros.
E enviaram mensageiros aos de Quriate-Jearim, dizendo: Os filisteus devolveram a arca do SENHOR: descei, pois, e levai-a a vós.
Ils envoyèrent des messagers aux habitants de Kirjath-Jearim, pour leur dire: Les Philistins ont ramené l’arche de l’ Éternel; descendez, et faites-la monter vers vous.
Und sie sandten Boten zu den Bürgern Kirjath- Jearims und ließen ihnen sagen: Die Philister haben uns die Lade des HERRN wiedergebracht; kommt herab und holt sie zu euch hinauf.
Zo zonden zij boden tot de inwoners van Kirjath-Jearim, zeggende: De Filistijnen hebben de ark des HEEREN wedergebracht; komt af, haalt ze opwaarts tot u.
E spedirono de’ messi agli abitanti di Kiriath-Jearim per dir loro: “I Filistei hanno ricondotto l’arca dell’Eterno; scendete e menatela su fra voi”.
A tak wyprawili posły do obywateli Karyjatyjarym mówiąc: Przywrócili Filistynowie skrzynię Pańską; pójdźcie, przeprowadźcie ją do siebie.
И послали послов к жителям Кириаф-Иарима сказать: Филистимляне возвратили ковчег Господа; придите, возьмите его к себе.
於是打發 人 去見基列．耶琳 的居民，說：「非利士人 將 耶和華 的約櫃 送回來了，你們下來 將約櫃 接 到你們那裡去吧！」
And they sent men to the people living in Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have sent back the ark of the Lord; come and take it up to your country.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 6:21
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 men of Beth Shemesh, reeling from the deaths of those who looked into the ark, wanted to remove it from their town. But why Kiriath Jearim and not Shiloh, its original home? Clarke and the Cambridge Bible suggest that Shiloh had likely been destroyed by the Philistines after the battle of Aphek. Psalm 78:60 records that God “abandoned the tent of Shiloh,” supporting this view. Gill, however, notes that Kiriath Jearim lay further from the Philistine border and was a stronger city, making it a safer refuge. Barnes adds that the site had once been a high place for Baal worship (Kirjath-baal), which may have influenced the choice. Keil and Delitzsch focus on the judgment as the catalyst: the people’s cry “Who is able to stand before this holy God?” drives the request. The consensus is that the ark was sent to a non-Levitical city out of a mix of fear, practicality, and the unavailability of Shiloh.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Shiloh abandoned/destroyed: Psalm 78:60, later prophetic references, and the fact the ark never returned there.
- Practical choice for safety: Kiriath Jearim was a fortified hill town further from Philistines (Gill, JFB).
- Fearful impulse without seeking God: The people's cry 'Who is able to stand' shows terror; they did not inquire of the Lord before moving the ark (implication from Matthew Henry).
What is clear: The men of Beth Shemesh were terrified and wanted the ark removed from their midst; they chose Kiriath Jearim as a nearby hill town to receive it.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Why the ark was sent to Kiriath Jearim | The men of Beth Shemesh were terrified after the deaths and wanted the ark removed from their town. | Some argue it was a practical choice for safety (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Others see it as a sign that Shiloh was no longer functional (Clarke, Cambridge). |
| Status of Shiloh at this time | Shiloh never regained its former importance after the battle of Aphek. | Clarke and Cambridge believe Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines. Gill suggests Shiloh may have been destroyed but does not insist. Poole’s annotation suggests the ark was not returned to Shiloh, implying its desolation. |
| Theological meaning of the relocation | The move shows God’s holiness requires proper handling and reverence. | Reformed commentators emphasize the sovereignty of God in directing the ark to a place where it would be preserved. Others focus on human failure to restore proper worship. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Kiriath Jearim, meaning “city of forests,” was located about 8-9 miles northeast of Beth Shemesh in the hill country of Judah. It is identified with the modern village of Kuryet el-Enab, a site among olive groves and rocky paths. The territory originally belonged to the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:17). Earlier it bore names like Baalah and Kirjath-baal (Joshua 15:9, 60), pointing to a pre-Israelite sanctuary for Baal worship. This history may have made the location seem fitting for the ark, as Barnes suggests: the remaining “high place” offered a ready sacred site.
The Philistine threat loomed large. Beth Shemesh sat in a low valley on the border of Philistine territory, vulnerable to attack. The ark had brought plagues on the Philistines, but it also had proven dangerous to Israel. After the Philistines returned it, the ark sat in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. Then seventy men died for looking into it. The people’s reaction was terror, not worship. Their question “To whom shall he go up from us?” reveals they saw the ark as a liability.
Sending to Kiriath Jearim, which stood on a hill, explains the directional language “come down” and “fetch it up.” Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note this. Shiloh, the original tabernacle site, was likely in ruins. The Philistines had presumably occupied it after the battle of Aphek (1 Samuel 4). Psalm 78:60 later refers to Shiloh as a place God abandoned because of Israel’s sin. So the men of Beth Shemesh chose the nearest significant town on higher ground that was not under direct Philistine control. The ark would remain there for about twenty years, until David brought it to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 13:5-6).
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The only textual issue in the surrounding passage concerns the number of dead in 1 Samuel 6:19, where Keil and Delitzsch argue that “fifty thousand” may be an ancient gloss. Verse 21 itself is stable across manuscripts and translations.
Reception History
This verse is part of the ark’s journey from Philistine captivity to a temporary home. Early Christian interpreters saw the ark as a type of Christ or the church, and the judgment at Beth Shemesh warned against treating holy things lightly. In the Middle Ages, the move to Kiriath Jearim was often allegorized as the church’s humble beginnings. The Reformation focused on the fear of God as the proper human response to divine holiness. In later biblical history, the ark’s stay at Kiriath Jearim is recalled when David brings it to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 13:5-6), emphasizing that God’s presence was with his people even in obscurity. Christian tradition has used this passage to teach about reverence and the need to prepare one’s heart before approaching God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Fear of the Holy: The men of Beth Shemesh learned that God’s presence is not to be handled casually. Their desire to move the ark grew from terror, not devotion.
- Wisdom in Retreat: The ark was moved to Kiriath Jearim, a fortified hill town further from the Philistines. This was a practical choice given Shiloh’s likely destruction.
- God’s Presence Among His People: Even in a makeshift home, the ark remained the sign of God’s covenant. Twenty years later, David would bring it to Jerusalem with proper reverence.
Five-point outline
- The Problem at Beth Shemesh: Irreverence toward the ark brought judgment. The people wanted it gone (v.20).
- The Request: They sent messengers to Kiriath Jearim, inviting them to come down and take the ark.
- The Selection of Kiriath Jearim: Likely Shiloh was destroyed; Kiriath Jearim was a strong city with a high place, suitable as a temporary sanctuary.
- The Response of the Inhabitants: The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark to the hill, consecrating Eleazar to guard it (1 Samuel 7:1).
- The Long Wait: The ark remained there for twenty years, a lesson in patience and the proper fear of God.
Illustration hooks
- Moving a dangerous electrical transformer after an accident, people want it removed but don’t know where to put it.
- Choosing a temporary home for a valuable heirloom when the original house is no longer safe.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Was it wrong for the men of Beth Shemesh to send the ark away?
- Why didn’t they return it to the tabernacle at Shiloh?
- What does this teach about the holiness of God and how we approach Him today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures the moment after judgment. The men of Beth Shemesh had seen God’s holiness up close and it terrified them. Their solution was to move the ark to Kiriath Jearim. But what motivated that choice? And what does it mean for us when we encounter God’s holy presence? Discuss these questions together.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Samuel 6:19-21. What emotions do you sense in the people of Beth Shemesh? Why did they want the ark moved?
- Why might they have chosen Kiriath Jearim instead of Shiloh? What does that suggest about the state of the nation at that time?
- What does the name “Kiriath Jearim” mean and what was its history? (See Joshua 9:17; 15:9, 60.)
- How does the response of Beth Shemesh compare to the Philistines’ earlier response to the ark? (1 Samuel 5-6)
- What does this story teach about the proper way to approach God’s holiness? How does that affect your own worship practices?
- In what ways might we treat the presence of God casually today? How can we cultivate deeper reverence?
- The ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim for twenty years until David brought it up. What does that period of waiting teach us about God’s timing?
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)
| Joshua 9:17 | The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. |
| Joshua 15:9 | The border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (also called Kiriath Jearim); |
| Joshua 15:60 | Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages. |
| Joshua 18:14 | The border extended, and turned around on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and ended at Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west quarter. |
| Judges 18:12 | They went up and encamped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. Therefore they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim. |
| I Chronicles 13:5 | So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor River of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring God’s ark from Kiriath Jearim. |
| I Chronicles 13:6 | David went up with all Israel to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there God Yahweh’s ark that sits above the cherubim, that is called by the Name. |
| Psalms 78:60 | so that he abandoned the tent of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men, |
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
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What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke speculates that the ark was sent to Kirjath-jearim rather than Shiloh because Shiloh had probably been destroyed by the Philistines. He then draws a parallel to the ancient pagan practice of making talismans, images crafted to drive away plagues or calamities.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Kirjath-jearim likely had a high place left over from its old pagan worship, when it was called Kirjath-Baal. That existing sacred site, he suggests, is why the Israelites chose to bring the ark there.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that Kirjath-jearim was not a priestly or Levitical city, yet the Ark was taken there as the nearest important place on the road to Shiloh. The commentator suggests Shiloh may have been occupied by Philistines after the battle of Aphek, which would explain why the Ark did not return to its old resting place.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that the messengers from Beth-shemesh urgently call the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim to come down and receive the Ark. This shows the Ark's journey continuing under God's guidance, as a new group is summoned to take custody of it.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the men of Bethshemesh chose Kirjathjearim because it was farther from the Philistines, stronger, and on the route to Shiloh. They tactfully presented the request as an honor, not mentioning why they wanted the ark removed, to avoid discouraging the new caretakers.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the message's wording, "come down and fetch it up," fits the actual geography: Beth-shemesh lay in a low plain, while Kirjath-jearim stood on a hill. The request to move the ark there was also practical, since Kirjath-jearim's strength as a fortified town made it a safer resting place than the open valley.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the number 50,000 men killed at Bethshemesh is a late scribal addition and not part of the original text, noting that the town could not have held that many people and the wording is grammatically irregular. They also clarify that the sin was not opening the ark but a careless, unholy staring at it, which violated its sacredness.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the Philistine priests, though pagan, correctly insisted on expiatory gifts to honor the God of Israel rather than returning the ark empty. They also set up a test with the cows to confirm whether the plagues came from God or mere chance, showing logical consistency in distinguishing divine intervention from natural accident.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry sees the sin of Beth-shemesh as a destructive curiosity: the men did not merely look at the ark but pried into it, pretending to inspect for damage while really wanting what God had hidden. He links this to humanity’s ruin through craving forbidden knowledge.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the strategic reasoning behind sending the ark to Kirjath-jearim instead of keeping it in Beth-shemesh. The location was chosen for its strength and distance from the Philistines, ensuring the ark's safety and greater access for the Israelites to attend to it.