1 Samuel 5:6But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.
The setting
Ashdod, Palestine. ~1050 BC. A mysterious plague breaks out after capturing Israel's sacred ark, tumors appearing on bodies throughout the city...
The emotion here: recording divine justice with solemn respect
The original word
yad (יַד) — hand, representing God's active power and intervention in human affairs
Why it matters
The Hebrew word for tumors suggests bubonic plague-like symptoms
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 5:6
This wasn't random disease but targeted judgment on those who captured God's ark
Common misconceptionModern readers dismiss this as coincidence, but the text deliberately shows divine cause-and-effect for taking what belongs to God.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 5:6
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 5:6 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 5:6 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, consequences. Notable phrases: hand of Yahweh was heavy; struck them with tumors.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 5:6 mean to you, today?
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