1 Samuel 6 · Verse 2

1 Samuel 6:2

And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
1 Samuel 6:2, King James Version

1 Samuel 6:2 in other translations

BSBthe Philistines summoned the priests and diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how to send it back to its place.”
WEBThe Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the LORD’s ark? Show us how we should send it to its place.”
ASVAnd the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall send it to its place.
YLTand the Philistines call for priests and for diviners, saying, ‘What do we do to the ark of Jehovah? let us know wherewith we send it to its place?'
DARBYAnd the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place.
BBEAnd the Philistines sent for the priests and those who were wise in secret arts, and said to them, What are we to do with the ark of the Lord? How are we to send it away to its place?
WebsterAnd the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us with what we shall send it to its place.

What does 1 Samuel 6:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 6:2-3
2-3. the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners--The designed restoration of the ark was not, it seems, universally approved of, and many doubts were expressed whether the prevailing pestilence was really a judgment of Heaven. The priests and diviners united all parties by recommending a course which would enable them easily to discriminate the true character of the calamities, and at the same time to propitiate the incensed Deity for any acts of disrespect which might have been shown to His ark.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 The diviners - קסמים kosemim, from קסם kasam, to presage or prognosticate. See Deu 18:10. In what their pretended art consisted, we know not.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 6:1-9

Seven months the Philistines were punished with the presence of the ark; so long it was a plague to them, because they would not send it home sooner. Sinners lengthen out their own miseries by refusing to part with their sins. The Israelites made no effort to recover the ark. Alas! where shall we find concern for religion prevail above all other matters? In times of public calamity we fear for ourselves, for our…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 6:1-9 →

1 Samuel 6:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקְרְא֣וּvai.yik.re.'Uand they summonedH7121
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
לַכֹּהֲנִ֤יםla.ko.ha.Nim<to> the priestsH3548
וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙ve.la.ko.se.Mimand <to> the divinersH7080
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
מַֽה\־mah-what?H4100
נַּעֲשֶׂ֖הna.'a.Sehwill we doH6213
לַאֲר֣וֹןla.'a.Ronto [the] ark ofH727
יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahwehH3068
הוֹדִעֻ֕נוּho.di.'U.numake known to usH3045
בַּמֶּ֖הba.Meh<in> how?H4100
נְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּne.shal.le.Che.nuwill we send itH7971
לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ\׃lim.ko.Moto own place itsH4725

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 6:2

  • Exodus 7:11

    Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

  • Genesis 41:8

    And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

  • Daniel 5:7

    The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

  • Daniel 2:2

    Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

  • Isaiah 47:12-13

    Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

  • Micah 6:6-9

    Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

  • Matthew 2:4

    And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

  • Isaiah 2:6

    Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
called.
Ge 41:8; Ex 7:11; Isa 47:12,13; Da 2:2; 5:7; Mt 2:4
wherewith.
Mic 6:6-9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 6:1

    And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

  • 1 Samuel 6:2

    And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

  • 1 Samuel 6:3

    And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

Read all of 1 Samuel 6

1 Samuel 6:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces los Filisteos, llamando los sacerdotes y adivinos, preguntaron: ¿Qué haremos del arca de Jehová? Declaradnos cómo la hemos de tornar á enviar á su lugar.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et les Philistins appelèrent les sacrificateurs et les devins, disant: Que ferons-nous de l’arche de l’ Éternel? Faites-nous savoir comment nous la renverrons en son lieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Philister riefen die Priester und Wahrsager und sprachen: Was sollen wir mit der Lade Jehovas tun? Tut uns kund, auf welche Weise wir sie an ihren Ort senden sollen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et vocaverunt Philisthiim sacerdotes et divinos, dicentes: Quid faciemus de arca Domini? indicate nobis quomodo remittamus eam in locum suum. Qui dixerunt: