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1 Samuel 6:5
ESV So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land.
NIV Make models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and give glory to Israel's god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land.
NASB So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that are ruining the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, your gods, and your land.
CSB Make images of your tumors and of your mice that are destroying the land. Give glory to Israel's God, and perhaps he will stop oppressing you, your gods, and your land.
NLT Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land.
KJV Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

What does 1 Samuel 6:5 mean?

Commentators differ on the best reading of the text in these verses. Either the priests instructed the leaders to make five golden tumors and five golden mice—ten objects altogether—or they told them to make five golden mice to represent the tumors that had ravaged the nation (1 Samuel 5:6–12). Scholars suggest vermin may have spread a disease like bubonic plague, which causes large swollen growths. Others believe the connection to mice is merely symbolic. Either option is possible, and neither changes the meaning of the incident.

In addition, the priests now tell the leaders of the Philistines to give glory to the God of Israel. The Philistines may have resisted glorifying Israel's God, in general, but their theology left room for the worship of many gods and offering sacrifices to any god thought to be afflicting them in some way. In truth, God deserved to be glorified by the Philistines both for who He is and also because He had demonstrated His absolute power over even their own bodies.

The priests stop short of saying that this will stop the plague. Instead, they offer the leaders of the Philistines only a "perhaps," unsure if this will cause the God of Israel to ease judgment on them and their gods. One of the reasons God stated for the plagues on Egypt was to judge the Egyptian gods (Exodus 12:12). He also demonstrated His power over the Philistines' god Dagon (1 Samuel 5:1–5). Clearly the truth is that there is no other god besides the Lord God of Israel. One of the ways God demonstrates this is to show those who worship false gods that He is greater.
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