In the context of the Bible, "piles" refers to a condition often understood as hemorrhoids or tumors. This affliction is notably mentioned in the Old Testament, specifically in the narrative concerning the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant.

Biblical References:

1. 1 Samuel 5:6-12: The account of the Philistines capturing the Ark of the Covenant and bringing it to the city of Ashdod is central to understanding the biblical mention of piles. The Berean Standard Bible states, "Now the hand of the LORD was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and He devastated them and struck them with tumors." The term "tumors" is often interpreted as hemorrhoids or piles. The affliction was a divine judgment upon the Philistines for taking the Ark, demonstrating God's power and holiness.

2. 1 Samuel 6:4-5: In response to the affliction, the Philistines sought to appease the God of Israel by returning the Ark with a guilt offering. The BSB records, "The Philistines asked, 'What guilt offering should we send to Him?' 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.'" The offering of gold tumors symbolized the affliction they suffered, acknowledging the divine source of their suffering and seeking relief.

Theological Significance:

The narrative of the Philistines and the Ark underscores several theological themes:

· Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The affliction of piles upon the Philistines serves as a testament to God's sovereignty and His ability to execute judgment upon those who dishonor Him. The physical ailment was a direct consequence of their irreverence towards the Ark, which symbolized God's presence among His people.

· Holiness of God: The incident highlights the holiness of God and the reverence due to Him. The Ark was not merely a religious artifact but a sacred object representing God's covenant with Israel. The Philistines' suffering was a result of their failure to recognize and respect this holiness.

· Repentance and Atonement: The Philistines' decision to send a guilt offering reflects an acknowledgment of their wrongdoing and a desire to make amends. This act of atonement, though imperfect, illustrates a broader biblical principle of seeking reconciliation with God through repentance and offering.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient Near East, physical ailments were often interpreted as signs of divine displeasure or judgment. The Philistines' experience with piles would have been understood within this cultural framework, reinforcing the narrative's emphasis on the power and authority of the God of Israel.

The use of gold to represent the tumors in the guilt offering also reflects the ancient practice of using symbolic representations in religious rituals. Gold, being a precious metal, signified the value and seriousness of the offering, as well as the Philistines' recognition of the severity of their offense.

Conclusion:

The biblical account of piles in 1 Samuel serves as a powerful reminder of God's holiness, the consequences of irreverence, and the importance of repentance. It illustrates the broader biblical themes of divine judgment, atonement, and the recognition of God's sovereignty over all nations.(n. pl.) The small, troublesome tumors or swellings about the anus and lower part of the rectum which are technically called hemorrhoids. See Hemorrhoids.2914. techor -- tumors (a result of dysentery)
... emerod. From an unused root meaning to burn; a boil or ulcer (from the inflammation),
especially a tumor in the anus or pudenda (the piles) -- emerod. ...
/hebrew/2914.htm - 6k

6651. tsabar -- to heap up
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to heap up NASB Word Usage amasses
(1), heap (1), piled (2), piles (1), store (1), stored (1). ...
/hebrew/6651.htm - 6k

The Bread of the Presence
... Every Sabbath the priests laid upon the table which stood on one side of the Altar
of Incense, in the Inner Court, two piles of loaves, on each of which piles ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the bread of the presence.htm

Description of the Double Porticos on Either Side, and of the ...
... Of these porticos, those which were exterior to the church were supported by columns
of great size, while those within these rested on piles [3269] of stone ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter xxxvii description of the double.htm

Crossing the Hellespont.
... For the fastenings of these cables on the shore there were immense piles driven
into the ground, and huge rings attached to the piles. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter v crossing the hellespont.htm

Gideon's Altar
... thou shalt not die.' Then Gideon piles up the unhewn stones on the hillside into
a rude altar, apparently not for the purpose of offering sacrifice, but for a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/gideons altar.htm

Preface by the Translator.
... Several years ago, among the dusty piles of old pamphlets stored away upon the upper
shelves of the Union Theological Seminary library, I met with several ...
/.../preface by the translator.htm

The True Nonconformist.
... spirit as this"a spirit that ere it gives itself to Christ, sits down and begins
to sort its possessions, pleasures, pursuits, into two piles, saying: "this ...
/.../vincent/amusement a force in christian training/the true nonconformist.htm

"Come Thou and all Thy House into the Ark. "
... We can have no idea of the extent and character of that antediluvian wickedness.
The Bible piles one expression on another, in its effort to emphasize it. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/the overcoming life/come thou and all thy.htm

Saint George Releases the Six Champions.
... The Prince searched and searched in every direction, under heaps of costly jewels
and glittering robes, piles of gold and silver, and rich armour; but they had ...
/.../the seven champions of christendom/chapter two saint george releases.htm

Some Errors.
... Beautiful flowering shrubbery, shell walks, ivy-clad piles of rocks, splashing
fountains, majestic shade trees and well-kept turf make the place attractive. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter ii some errors.htm

A Wise Decision.
... steamers. It was interesting to see the piles of berry crates loaded upon
the steamer from the docks extending out into the lake. ...
/.../byrum/the value of a praying mother/chapter viii a wise decision.htm

Piles (10 Occurrences)
... See Hemorrhoids. Multi-Version Concordance Piles (10 Occurrences). James 5:2 Your
treasures have rotted, and your piles of clothing are moth-eaten; (WEY). ...
/p/piles.htm - 9k

Pile (16 Occurrences)
... with the broadest end uppermost. 6. (vt) To drive piles into; to fill with
piles; to strengthen with piles. 7. (n.) A mass of things ...
/p/pile.htm - 13k

Pileser (3 Occurrences)

/p/pileser.htm - 9k

Lime (4 Occurrences)
... The whole interior is filled with carefully packed fragments of limestone, and large
piles of thorny-burner and other shrubs to serve as fuel are gathered ...
/l/lime.htm - 11k

Treasures (77 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). James 5:2 Your treasures have
rotted, and your piles of clothing are moth-eaten; (WEY). ...
/t/treasures.htm - 31k

Ram (96 Occurrences)
... a ram against or through; to thrust or drive with violence; to force in; to drive
together; to cram; as, to ram an enemy's vessel; to ram piles, cartridges, etc ...
/r/ram.htm - 41k

Rotted (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Rotted (4 Occurrences). James 5:2 Your treasures have
rotted, and your piles of clothing are moth-eaten; (WEY YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/r/rotted.htm - 7k

Emerods (8 Occurrences)
... The older writers supposed by comparison of the account in 1 Samuel with Psalm
78:66 that they were hemorrhoids (or piles), and the older English term in the ...
/e/emerods.htm - 11k

Dunggate
... south-west quarter. "The gate outside of which lay the piles of sweepings
and offscourings of the streets," in the valley of Tophet. ...
/d/dunggate.htm - 6k

Dung-gate (4 Occurrences)
... "The gate outside of which lay the piles of sweepings and offscourings of the
streets," in the valley of Tophet. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/d/dung-gate.htm - 8k

What was the bread of the Presence (Exodus 25:30)? | GotQuestions.org

What were the emerods God afflicted the Philistines with in 1 Samuel 5? | GotQuestions.org

What was the meaning and purpose of the ten plagues of Egypt? | GotQuestions.org

Piles: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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