And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come down, and bring it up to you.
All Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6:21 Go To 1 Samuel 6
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Up. This is the import of the Hebrew. The Vulgate reducite, "bring it back "insinuates, that the Bethsamites desired the people of Cariathiarim to convey the ark to their city, on the road to Silo, where they probably thought it ought to be placed, in the tabernacle. But it seems God ordered it otherwise, and the ark was never restored to its former splendid station, surrounded with all the vessels and ornaments of the tabernacle. David made something similar, and place an altar before it, while the Mosaic tabernacle and altar were removed from Silo to Nobe, (chap. xxi. 1.) and afterwards to Gabaon, 2 Paralipomenon i. 5. Salien (the year of the world 3030) doubts not but they were thence translated to Solomon's temple, during the octave of the dedication, along with those of David, from Mount Sion, 2 Paralipomenon v. 2., and viii. 3. Why the ark was not placed in this most magnificent abode, but removed from the stone of Abel to the houses of Abinadab, of Obededom, of David in Sion, till all the original ornaments, prescribed by God to Moses, with a still more splendid apparatus, met to adorn the temple of Solomon, we cannot easily explain. Perhaps it might be to render that event more glorious, and to represent the troubled state of the Jewish Synagogue, immediately preceding the appearance of the great Redeemer, who would establish a church without spot or wrinkle, shining brighter than the sun, and replenished with all heavenly graces. (Haydock)
Cariathiarim is the same place as Cariathbaal, and Baala, (Josue xv. 9, 60.) Baalim Juda, (2 Kings vi. 2.) and Sedeiarim, about ten miles from Jerusalem. Gabaa was "a hill "(Calmet) belonging to the same city, where the house of Abinadab stood; (Haydock) and Nobe was also in the vicinity, while Silo was much farther north. (Calmet)
The priests still remained, and offered sacrifice in the tabernacle, though occasionally some of them might come to offer extraordinary victims before the ark, in those private houses which were thus converted, as it were, into the holy of holies. Salien, the year of the world 2941, where he observes from St. Jerome, that the tabernacle was removed to Nobe about the same time as the ark was deposited at Cariathiarim; and no doubt both the translations were in consequence of the divine command, signified by the mouth of his prophet Samuel. (Haydock)
