1 Samuel 5:9It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.
The setting
Gath, Philistine city, ~1050 BC. What started as tumors in Ashdod now spreads to Gath. Archaeological evidence shows Gath was abandoned around this time period. Located in modern-day Israel near Tel es-Safi.
The emotion here: recording with solemn reverence the unstoppable power of God
The original word
techorim (טְחֹרִים) — hemorrhoids or tumors, possibly bubonic plague
Why it matters
Archaeological evidence suggests Gath was mysteriously abandoned around 1000 BC
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 5:9
The phrase 'both small and great' means the disease struck regardless of social status
Common misconceptionPeople focus on the graphic nature of the plague, missing that this demonstrates God's protection of His holiness against those who treat Him as a trophy.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 5:9
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 5:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 5:9 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 anxious, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, chaos. Notable phrases: hand of Yahweh was against the city; very great confusion.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 5:9 mean to you, today?
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