1 Samuel 6:19

Verse 19. Seen; and curiously looked into. It is likely this plague reached to all the neighbouring country, as well as the city of Bethsames. Challoner.—For we need not suppose that all these deaths took place in one day. The ark seems to have continued there for some time, verse 18. Hebrew “because they had looked into, or at the ark.” Bible.—It was unlawful, even for the Levites, to touch or to look at the ark uncovered; ( Tirinus. Numbers 4:15, 20,) and the Hebrew expression into, is often taken in this sense. Proverbs 7:15 and 11:4.—Men of rank. Saint Gregory and so forth “Ancients.” Chal. Some would suppose that only these 70 perished, and were of as much value as 50,000 of the common people: for they will not allow that he latter number was slain. Out of that number, 70 were made victims of the divine justice. Tirinus. Sa.—Bochart translates, “he slew 70 out of 50,000.” The Syr. and Arab. read, “5070 men.” Josephus only admits 70 who were slain, “because they dared to touch the ark with their profane hands, as they were not priests.” Hebrew “and he slew of the people 70 men, 50,000 men. Calmet.—Kennicott seems to suspect that a cipher has been added in the Hebrew at the end. Prot. “50,000, and threescore and ten men.” Bible.—Some would insert aderant in the Vulg. and 50,000 “were present.” D.—The Chal. Septuagint and so forth constantly retain these numbers, and we must not judge of God severity by our feeble reason. Calmet.—This decision is the most common. Menochius.—The people had indulged their curiosity, to see whether the Philistines had taken the tables of the law out of the ark, and so forth Serarius.—As the ark was terrible to the infidels, so it was also to those true believers, who treated it with disrespect. Worthington.