1 Samuel 5:9 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.

◄ 1 Samuel 5:9 ►

New International Version
But after they had moved it, the LORD’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.

New Living Translation
But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the LORD’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic.

English Standard Version
But after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

New American Standard Bible
After they had taken it away, the hand of the LORD was against the city, creating a very great panic; and He struck the people of the city, from the young to the old, so that tumors broke out on them.

NASB 1995
After they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

NASB 1977
And it came about that after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened after they had brought it around, that the hand of Yahweh was against the city with very great confusion; and He struck the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

Amplified Bible
But it happened that after they had taken it to Gath, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing an extremely great panic [because of the deaths from the plague], for He struck the people of the city, both young and old, and tumors broke out on them.

Christian Standard Bible
After they had moved it, the LORD’s hand was against the city of Gath, causing a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
After they had moved it, the LORD’s hand was against the city of Gath, causing a great panic. He afflicted the men of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
the LORD made sores break out on everyone in town. The people of Gath were frightened,

English Revised Version
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great discomfiture: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and tumours brake out upon them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But after they had moved it, the LORD threw the city into a great panic: He struck all the important and unimportant people in the city, and they were covered with tumors.

Good News Translation
But after it arrived there, the LORD punished that city too and caused a great panic. He punished them with tumors which developed in all the people of the city, young and old alike.

International Standard Version
After they moved it, the LORD moved against the town, causing a very great panic. He struck the men of the town, from young to old with tumors of the groin.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
But after it had been moved the LORD attacked that city as well, causing a great deal of panic. He struck all the people of that city with sores.

New Heart English Bible
And it came about that after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it was so, that after they had carried it thither, 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.

World English Bible
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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and it comes to pass after they have brought it around, that the hand of YHWH is against the city—a very great destruction; and He strikes the men of the city, from small and to great; and lumps break forth on them.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be after they turned it about, and the hand of Jehovah will be against the city with a very great consternation: and he will smite the men of the city from small and even to great, and tumors will break forth to them.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And while they were carrying it about, the band 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 Gethrites consulted together, and made themselves seats of skins.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And as they were carrying it around, the hand of the Lord fell upon every single city with an exceedingly great slaughter. And he struck down the men of each and every city, from the small even to the great. And cysts were festering at their buttocks. And the Gathites took counsel, and they made for themselves seat covers from pelts.

New American Bible
But after it had been brought there, the hand of the LORD was against the city, resulting in utter turmoil: the LORD afflicted its inhabitants, young and old, and tumors broke out on them.

New Revised Standard Version
But after they had brought it to Gath, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic; he struck the inhabitants of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And after they took it back, 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 were covered with boils.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And after they returned it, the hand of LORD JEHOVAH was on the city, a very great plague, and it struck the men of the city, from the little one and unto the great; their tumors were broken out upon them

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great discomfiture; and He smote the men of the city, both small and great, and emerods broke out upon them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass after it went about to Geth, that the hand of the Lord comes upon the city, a very great confusion; and he smote the men of the city small and great, and smote them in their secret parts: and the Gittites made to themselves images of emerods.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Ark Afflicts the Philistines
…8So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel. 9But 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. 10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 9:3-6
then the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks. / But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’” / The LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.” ...

Deuteronomy 28:27
The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured.

Judges 2:14-15
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. / Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.

1 Samuel 6:4-5
“What guilt offering should we send back to Him?” asked the Philistines. “Five gold tumors and five gold rats,” they said, “according to the number of rulers of the Philistines, since the same plague has struck both you and your rulers. / Make images of your tumors and of the rats that are ravaging the land. Give glory to the God of Israel, and perhaps He will lift His hand from you and your gods and your land.

1 Samuel 6:11-12
Then they put the ark of the LORD on the cart, along with the chest containing the gold rats and the images of the tumors. / And the cows headed straight up the road toward Beth-shemesh, staying on that one highway and lowing as they went, never straying to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed behind them to the border of Beth-shemesh.

2 Samuel 24:15
So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.

2 Kings 19:35
And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!

Psalm 78:66
He beat back His foes; He put them to everlasting shame.

Isaiah 10:16
Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts will send a wasting disease among Assyria’s stout warriors, and under his pomp will be kindled a fire like a burning flame.

Isaiah 37:36
Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!

Jeremiah 19:8
I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.

Acts 12:23
Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

1 Corinthians 10:22
Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

Treasury of Scripture

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 tumors in their secret parts.

the hand

1 Samuel 5:6
But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

1 Samuel 7:13
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

1 Samuel 12:15
But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.

with a very

1 Samuel 5:11
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

and they had emerods

1 Samuel 5:6
But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

1 Samuel 6:4,5,11
Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords…

Psalm 78:66
And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

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Brake Broke Carried City Confusion Destruction Discomfiture Disease Emerods Hand Hemorrhoids Outbreak Panic Parts Secret Signs Small Smote Stretched Struck Thither Throwing Tumors Young

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Brake Broke Carried City Confusion Destruction Discomfiture Disease Emerods Hand Hemorrhoids Outbreak Panic Parts Secret Signs Small Smote Stretched Struck Thither Throwing Tumors Young

1 Samuel 5

1. The Philistines having brought the ark into Ashdod, set it in the house Dagon
3. Dagon is smitten down and cut and cut in pieces,
5. and they of Ashdod smitten with tumors
8. So God deals with them of Gath, when it was brought thither
10. and so with them of Ekron, when it was brought thither

Berean Study Bible

But after they had moved it
This phrase refers to the movement of the Ark of the Covenant, which had been captured by the Philistines. The Ark, representing God's presence, was moved from Ashdod to Gath. The Hebrew root for "moved" (נָשָׂא, nasa) implies a physical carrying or lifting, indicating the Philistines' attempt to control or manipulate the divine presence. Historically, this reflects the Philistines' misunderstanding of the Ark's sacredness, treating it as a mere trophy of war rather than the holy symbol of the God of Israel.

the hand of the LORD
In Hebrew, "hand" (יָד, yad) often symbolizes power or action. Here, it signifies God's active intervention. The "hand of the LORD" is a recurring biblical motif representing divine judgment or deliverance. In this context, it underscores God's sovereignty and His ability to assert His will against those who oppose Him, regardless of their earthly power.

was against the city
The city in question is Gath, one of the five principal cities of the Philistines. The phrase indicates a direct divine opposition to the city, highlighting the futility of human efforts against God's will. Historically, this serves as a reminder of the Philistines' continued defiance and the consequences of their actions against God's chosen people.

causing a great panic
The Hebrew word for "panic" (מְהוּמָה, mehumah) conveys chaos and confusion. This divine-induced panic reflects the fear and disorder that ensued among the Philistines, illustrating the psychological impact of God's judgment. It serves as a powerful reminder of the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

He afflicted the men of the city
The affliction is a direct result of divine judgment. The Hebrew verb "afflicted" (נָכָה, nakah) implies a striking or smiting, indicating a severe and intentional act by God. This demonstrates God's ability to humble the proud and bring low those who exalt themselves against Him.

both young and old
This phrase emphasizes the indiscriminate nature of God's judgment. It affected all demographics, underscoring the totality of the divine response to sin. It serves as a sobering reminder that God's justice is comprehensive and impartial.

with an outbreak of tumors
The Hebrew term for "tumors" (עֳפָלִים, ophalim) is often associated with painful swellings or boils. This physical affliction was a tangible sign of God's displeasure and a direct consequence of the Philistines' actions. Archaeologically, there is evidence of similar afflictions in ancient times, which adds historical credibility to the biblical account. This serves as a powerful testament to the reality of divine retribution and the seriousness of sin.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - And they had emerods in their secret parts. The verb used here, sathar, is found in Hebrew only in this place, but is of common occurrence in Syriac and Arabic. Its ordinary meaning in both these languages is to "cover," "conceal," and the A.V., taking it in this sense, supposes that the boils were hidden, and translates as above. But the root has a double meaning, and signifies also "to destroy," though in this sense the Arabic has a slight difference in spelling, namely, shatara instead of satara. The old versions were evidently at a loss in understanding the meaning, though their renderings are suggestive, except the Syriac, which translates quite literally, but leaves thereby the difficulty untouched of the twofold meaning of the word, and the Syro-Arabic lexicons are uncertain which to choose. Some give, "and the emerods hid themselves in them," in the sense of gnawing and burrowing into the flesh, i.e. they became cancerous. Others take the alternative sense, and render, "and the emerods were burst upon them," i.e. became fissured and rent, and turned into open sores. Another translation has been proposed, namely, "the tumours or emerods brake out upon them;" but as the verb, both in the Hebrew and the Syriac, is passive, this rendering can scarcely be defended. Upon the whole, the most probable sense is that the tumours buried themselves deep in the flesh, and becoming thus incurable, ended in causing the death of the sufferers.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But after
אַחֲרֵ֣י ׀ (’a·ḥă·rê)
Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

they had moved
הֵסַ֣בּוּ (hê·sab·bū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround

[the ark to Gath],
אֹת֗וֹ (’ō·ṯōw)
Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

the LORD’s
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

hand
יַד־ (yaḏ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

was also
וַיְהִ֞י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

against that city,
בָּעִיר֙ (bā·‘îr)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

throwing it into great confusion
מְהוּמָה֙ (mə·hū·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4103: Tumult, confusion, disquietude, discomfiture

and afflicting
וַיַּךְ֙ (way·yaḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

the men
אַנְשֵׁ֣י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of the city,
הָעִ֔יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

both young
מִקָּטֹ֖ן (miq·qā·ṭōn)
Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6996: Small, young, unimportant

and
וְעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

old,
גָּד֑וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

with an outbreak
וַיִּשָּׂתְר֥וּ (way·yiś·śā·ṯə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8368: To burst or break out

of tumors.
טְחֹרִֽים׃ (ṭə·ḥō·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6076: A tumor, a mound, fortress

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OT History: 1 Samuel 5:9 It was so that after they had (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)