The Church Fathers on this verse

1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 6:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

According to the number of the provinces of the Philistines you shall make five golden emerods, and five golden mice: for the same plague hath been upon you all, and upon your lords. And you shall make the likeness of your emerods, and the likeness of the mice, that have destroyed the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: to see if he will take off his hand from you, and from your gods, and from your land.

Douay-Rheims

וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֩ צַלְמֵ֨י עפליכם טְחֹרֵיכֶ֜ם וְצַלְמֵ֣י עַכְבְּרֵיכֶ֗ם הַמַּשְׁחִיתִם֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּנְתַתֶּ֛ם לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כָּב֑וֹד אוּלַ֗י יָקֵ֤ל אֶת־יָדוֹ֙ מֵֽעֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וּמֵעַ֥ל אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם וּמֵעַ֥ל אַרְצְכֶֽם׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Cassiodorus the Senator

6th centuryChurch Father

In the First Book of Kings, we learn that those who harmed the sacred ark of the Lord faced divine retribution and were struck down from behind, as it is said, "and he smote his enemies in the rear" (Psalm 77:66). They endured torment from dreadful mice that gnawed at them, indicating that their punishment was unparalleled. Sinners in the afterlife will experience a similar fate; their transgressions will not be forgiven, and they will suffer like those trapped by the army of the adversary.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.