And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
Parallel translations
- WEB The men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?”
- BSB The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom should the ark go up from here?”
- NKJV And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?”
- NASB And the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom will He go up from us?”
- NLT “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?” they cried out. “Where can we send the Ark from here?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The men of Beth Shemesh ask who can stand before this holy God and where the ark should go. They feel the terror of God's holiness and their own unworthiness.
Overview
Shaken by the judgment, the people confess they cannot stand before such a holy God. Their question exposes the universal human problem: sinners cannot dwell safely in God's holy presence on their own. This longing for one who can stand before God is answered in Christ, our holy Mediator who brings us near (Hebrews 7:25).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 2 Sam 6:9And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
- Mal 3:2But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
- Rev 6:17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
- Luke 8:37Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
- Num 17:12–13And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
- Ps 76:7Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
- 2 Sam 6:7And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
- Lev 11:45For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
- Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
- 1 Sam 5:8–12They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
- 1 Chr 13:11–13And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 6:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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