Biblical References:

Mice are mentioned in the Bible primarily in the context of plagues and offerings. The most notable reference is found in the narrative concerning the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant. After capturing the Ark, the Philistines experienced a series of calamities, including a plague that devastated their land. In an attempt to appease the God of Israel, the Philistines crafted golden images of the tumors and mice that afflicted them.

1. 1 Samuel 6:4-5 : "The Philistines asked, 'What guilt offering should we send back to Him?' And they replied, 'Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers. Make images of your tumors and of the rats that are destroying the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps He will lighten His hand from upon you and your gods and your land.'"

2. 1 Samuel 6:11 : "They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart, along with the chest containing the gold rats and the images of the tumors."

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In the biblical context, mice are often associated with destruction and divine judgment. The plague of mice that afflicted the Philistines serves as a symbol of God's power and the consequences of disrespecting the sacred. The creation of golden mice as a guilt offering underscores the recognition of God's sovereignty and the need for atonement.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, mice were often seen as pests that could cause significant agricultural damage. Their presence in the biblical narrative reflects the real threat they posed to food supplies and the economy. The Philistines' decision to include mice in their guilt offering highlights their understanding of the natural disasters as a divine punishment and their attempt to rectify their transgression.

Theological Implications:

The account of the mice in 1 Samuel emphasizes the theme of divine retribution and the importance of honoring God. It illustrates the belief that God is actively involved in the affairs of nations and that His holiness demands respect and reverence. The narrative also serves as a reminder of the futility of opposing God's will and the necessity of repentance and restitution.

Practical Lessons:

From a practical standpoint, the account of the mice and the Philistines teaches the importance of acknowledging God's authority and the consequences of sin. It encourages believers to seek reconciliation with God through sincere repentance and to recognize the signs of His displeasure in their lives. The narrative also serves as a warning against the dangers of idolatry and the need to prioritize one's relationship with God above all else.1. (n.) pl of Mouse.

2. (n.) Plural of Mouse.

MOUSE; MICE

mous, mis (`akhbar; Septuagint mus, "mouse"; compare Arabic `akbar, "jerboa" not 'akbar, "greater"; compare also proper noun, `akhbor, "Achbor" (Genesis 36:38 1 Chronicles 1:49; also 2 Kings 22:12, 14 Jeremiah 26:22; Jeremiah 36:12)): The word occurs in the list of unclean "creeping things" (Leviticus 11:29), in the account of the golden mice and tumors (the King James Version and the American Revised Version margin "emerods") sent by the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:4-18), and in the phrase, "eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse" (Isaiah 66:17). The cosmopolitan housemouse, Mus musculus, is doubtless the species referred to. The jerboa or jumping mouse, Arabic yarbu, is eaten by the Arabs of the Syrian desert, Northeast of Damascus. Possibly allied to `akhbar is the Arabic `akbar (generally in plural, `akabir), used for the male of the jerboa.

Alfred Ely Day

MICE

mis.

See MOUSE.

2249. hemeis -- us, we ourselves.
... 2248, 2249. hemeis. 2250 . us, we ourselves. Transliteration: hemeis Phonetic
Spelling: (hay-mice') Short Definition: ourselves. Word Origin nom. pl. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2249.htm - 6k

5210. humeis -- you
... 5209, 5210. humeis. 5211 . you. Transliteration: humeis Phonetic Spelling:
(hoo-mice') Short Definition: you. Word Origin nom. pl. of su, qv. you ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5210.htm - 5k

5909. akbar -- a mouse
... 5908, 5909. akbar. 5910 . a mouse. Transliteration: akbar Phonetic Spelling:
(ak-bawr') Short Definition: mice. Word Origin of uncertain ...
/hebrew/5909.htm - 6k

The Superstitious Nature of Human Institutions.
... if any one should sneeze when you are putting on your slippers; to return home if
you stumble when going to a place; when your clothes are eaten by mice, to be ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 20 the superstitious nature of.htm

To These we May Add Thousands of the Most Frivolous Practices...
... if any one should sneeze when you are putting on your slippers; to return home if
you stumble when going to a place; when your clothes are eaten by mice, to be ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 31 to these we.htm

Of the Persecutions in Persia and of them that were Martyred There ...
... out by force, and, tearing away the adjacent portions of the skin, caused severe
agony; pits were dug and carefully greased in which quantities of mice were put ...
/.../chapter xxxviii of the persecutions in.htm

Criticisms on "The Origin of Species. "
... teleological, and the Darwinian, conception. Cats catch mice, small birds
and the like, very well. Teleology tells us that they ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/xiii criticisms on the origin.htm

The Destruction that came Upon the Philistines, and Upon
... And as to the fruits of their country, a great multitude of mice arose out of the
earth and hurt them, and spared neither the plants nor the fruits. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 the destruction that.htm

The Question of the Tall Gentleman as to Whether Diamond could ...
... And butterflies, flutterbies, ships all sails; And weasels, and ousels, and
mice, and larks,. And owls, and rere-mice, and harkydarks,. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 20 the question of.htm

Since this is So, and Since no Strange Influence Has Suddenly ...
... But pestilences, say my opponents, and droughts, wars, famines, locusts, mice, and
hailstones, and other hurtful things, by which the property of men is ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/3 since this is so.htm

Of Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria, and what Happened at the ...
... block. His head was cut off, and forthwith out ran multitudes of mice, for
the Egyptian god was a dwelling place for mice. Serapis ...
/.../chapter xxii of theophilus bishop of.htm

The Creation of Terrestrial Animals.
... brings forth grasshoppers and an immense number of insects which fly in the air
and have no names because they are so small; she also produces mice and frogs. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily ix the creation of.htm

Off Duty
... Some have told me about the mice in their cells. ... I know that mice like to sip milk,
and once I dropped just a little milk on the window-sill for them. ...
/.../carpenter/the angel adjutant of twice born men/xiv off duty.htm

Mice (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) pl of Mouse. 2. (n.) Plural of Mouse. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
MOUSE; MICE. ... Alfred Ely Day. MICE. mis. See MOUSE. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/m/mice.htm - 10k

Emerods (8 Occurrences)
... agent in conveying the virus of plague to the human subject, it is worthy of note
that the plague of tumors was accompanied by an invasion of mice (`akhbor) or ...
/e/emerods.htm - 11k

Mouse (2 Occurrences)
... God "laid waste" the people of Ashdod by the terrible visitation of field-mice,
which are like locusts in their destructive effects (1 Samuel 6:4, 11, 18). ...
/m/mouse.htm - 10k

Rats (5 Occurrences)
... 6:4 Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to
him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the ...
/r/rats.htm - 8k

Tumors (8 Occurrences)
... 6:4 Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to
him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the ...
/t/tumors.htm - 9k

Coffer (3 Occurrences)
... The receptacle or small box placed beside the ark by the Philistines, in which they
deposited the golden mice and the emerods as their trespass-offering (1 ...
/c/coffer.htm - 8k

Likenesses (4 Occurrences)
... 1 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 ...
/l/likenesses.htm - 7k

Growths (2 Occurrences)
... And they said, Five gold images of the growths caused by your disease and five gold
mice, one for every lord of the Philistines: for the same disease came on ...
/g/growths.htm - 7k

Philistine (63 Occurrences)
... 6:4 Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to
him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the ...
/p/philistine.htm - 29k

Lords (63 Occurrences)
... 6:4 Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to
him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the ...
/l/lords.htm - 28k

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