Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Samuel 6:19

19 ¶ And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD , even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men : and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

Having now an opportunity which they never yet had, no[illegible: 1+ letters] were ever like to have, it is not strange they had a vehement curiosity and desire to see the contents of the Ark: or whether the Philistines had taken them away, and put other things in their place; and they thought they might now presume the more, because the Ark had been polluted by the Philistines, and was now exposed to open view, and not yet put into that Most Holy Place, which they were forbidden to approach.

i. e. Of the people living in, and near Bethshemesh, or coming thither from all parts upon this great and glorious occasion. Heb. And, or Also he [illegible: 1 word] of the people; to wit, of or belonging to other places, though now here: So these are distinguished from the men of Bethshemesh, of whom he speaks onely in general and indefinitely, he smote the men; i. e. Some, or many of them, and then sets down the number of the persons smitten, or s[illegible: 1+ letters]in, either excluding the Bethshemites, or including them.

This may seem an incredible Relation, both because that place could not afford so great a number, and because it seems an act of great rigour, that God should so severely punish those people who came with so much Zeal and Joy to Congratulate the return of the Ark, and that for so inconsiderable an Errour. For the latter branch of the Objection, it may be said, 1. That God always used to be most severe in Punishing his own People, as Sinning against more knowledge and warning than others; especially, for such sins as immediately concern his own Worship and Service. 2. That men are very incompetent Judges of these Matters, because they do not understand all the reasons and causes of Gods Judgments. For although God took this just occasion to punish them for that Crime which was so severely forbidden even to the common Levites under pain of Death; of which see Numb. 4. 18, 19, 20. Yet it is apparent, that the People were at this time guilty of many other, and greater Miscarriages, for which God might justly inflict the present punishment upon them: and moreover, there are many secret Sins which escape Mans Observation, but are seen by God, before whom, many persons may be deeply guilty, whom men esteem innocent and vertuous. And therefore men should take heed of Censuring the Judgments of God, of which it is most truly said, that they are oft secret, but never unrighteous. And for the former branch of the Objection, many things are, or may be said; 1. That the Land of Israel was strangely populous, See 2 Sam. 24. 9. and 2 Chron. 13. 3. 2. That all these were not the setled Inhabitants of this place, but most of them such as did, and in all probability would resort thither in great numbers upon so illustrious an occasion. 3. That all these were not struck dead in the very Fact, and upon the place, which would have terrified others from following their example; but were secretly struck with some Disease or Plague, which killed them in a little time. 4. That divers Learned Men translate, and understand the place otherwise, and make the number much smaller. Iosephus the Jew, and the Hebrew Doctors, and many others contend, that onely seventy persons were slain. Which though it seem but a small number, yet might justly be called a great slaughter, either for the quality of the persons Slain, or for the greatness and extraordinariness of the Stroke; or because it was a great Number, considering the smallness of the Place, and the sadness of the Occasion. The Words in the Hebrew are these, and thus placed, he smote of or among the people seventy men, fifty thousand men; whereas, say they, The Words should have been otherwise placed, and the greater number put before the less, if this had been meant, that he smote 50 Thousand and 70 Men. And one very Learned Man renders the Words thus, He smote of the people seventy men, even fifty of a thousand, the Particle Mem, of, being here understood, as it is very frequently. So the meaning is, That God smote every Twentieth man of the Transgressours, as the Romans used to Cut off every Tenth Man in case of the general guilt of an Army. Or the Words may be rendred thus, He smote of, or among the people, seventy men out of fifty thousand men; the Particle Mem, of, or out of, being understood before the Word fifty, which Bochart puts before a thousand; and it may be thus expressed, to shew, that God did temper his Severity with great Clemency: and whereas there were many thousands of Transgressors (every one following his Brothers Example, as is usual in such cases) God onely singled out 70 of the Principal Offenders, who either Sinned most against their Light, or Office; or were the Ringleaders, or Chief encouragers of the rest. To which may be added, That the ancient Translators, the Syriack, and Arabick, read the Place five thousand and seventy men, being supposed to have read in their Hebrew Copies, Chamesh, five, for Chamishim, fifty, which is no great alteration in the Word.