CONTENTS
As it was impossible not to take interest in whatever concerned the ark of God, the contents of this Chapter becomes very pleasing, in that it relates to us the conduct of the Philistines in sending away the ark of God. The great joy of the men of Bethshemesh in beholding the return of the ark. The presumption of the Bethshemites in looking into the ark, is punished by the Lord: they send to the men of Kirjath-jearim to fetch the Ark. These are the contents of this Chapter.
(1) В¶ And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
We ought to pause over this verse, and reflect on the state of Israel, deprived of the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Hosts, for no less a period than seven months. No doubt many a pious Israelite felt it, and lamented it in secret. And many of those who went up to Shiloh to worship God in public, openly deplored the vacancy in the tabernacle. Ah! how precious are our gospel mercies, in that we have not simply the outer tokens of God's presence, but the spiritual manifestations of him whom the ark prefigured, always present, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name; Matthew 18:20.