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1 Samuel 6:4
Then said they, Whatshall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice,according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plaguewas on you all, and on your lords.

Ashdod

1 Samuel 5:1
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

2 Chronicles 26:6
And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

Jeremiah 25:20
And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

Gaza

Judges 16:1,21
Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her…

Amos 1:7,8
But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: …

Askelon

Judges 1:18
Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

Zechariah 9:5
Ashkelon shall seeit, and fear; Gaza alsoshall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

Gath

1 Samuel 5:8
They 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 aboutthither.

2 Samuel 1:20
Tellit not in Gath, publishit not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

2 Samuel 21:22
These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Ekron

1 Samuel 5:10
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

2 Kings 1:2
And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber thatwas in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

Amos 1:8
And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.

the Philistines had sent back
The Philistines, after suffering plagues, decided to return the Ark of the Covenant to Israel. This decision was influenced by their priests and diviners, who advised them to send a guilt offering along with the Ark (1 Samuel 6:2-3). This action demonstrates their fear and respect for the God of Israel, despite being a pagan nation.

one gold tumor for each city
The gold tumors were symbolic representations of the plagues that afflicted the Philistines. The use of gold signifies the value and seriousness of the offering. The tumors, along with gold rats (1 Samuel 6:4), were crafted to represent the specific afflictions sent by God, showing an understanding of the need for a tangible representation of their guilt.

Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron
These were the five principal cities of the Philistine pentapolis, each ruled by its own lord. Ashdod was known for its temple of Dagon, where the Ark was initially placed (1 Samuel 5:1-2). Gaza, a major city, is often mentioned in the context of Samson (Judges 16:1-3). Ashkelon was a significant trade center. Gath is famously known as the home of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4). Ekron was the last city to host the Ark before it was returned (1 Samuel 5:10). The inclusion of all five cities underscores the widespread impact of the plagues and the collective acknowledgment of the LORD's power by the Philistine confederation.

• The Philistines recognize that the plague of tumors (1 Samuel 5:6–12) came from “the hand of the LORD,” so they follow the advice of their priests: “Return a guilt offering to Him, and you will be healed” (1 Samuel 6:3).

• A guilt offering addresses wrongdoing and seeks both forgiveness and restitution; see the pattern inLeviticus 5:14-19 andNumbers 5:6-7.

• Even pagan nations are accountable to the LORD; compare Pharaoh humbled inExodus 9:27 and Nebuchadnezzar inDaniel 4:34-37.

• By calling it a “guilt offering,” Scripture shows that God demanded real repentance, not mere superstition.

• After seven months of affliction, they decide “to send it back to its place” (1 Samuel 6:2). Their action echoes the Egyptians urging Israel to leave (Exodus 12:31-33).

• Returning the ark on a new cart pulled by cows (1 Samuel 6:7-12) highlights their urgency and fear.

• They do more than remove the ark; they return valuables as compensation, acknowledging that the LORD is not like their idols (1 Samuel 4:7-8).

• God’s sovereignty over every nation is underscored in passages such asPsalm 22:28 andActs 17:26-27.

• Gold pictures costly repentance; compare “gold bowls full of incense” in worship (Revelation 5:8).

• Each gold tumor mirrors the physical tumors God sent (1 Samuel 6:4). The offering matches the offense—an eye-opening lesson on specific confession.

• Symbolic offerings appear elsewhere: bronze serpent (Numbers 21:9) and Isaiah walking barefoot as a sign (Isaiah 20:2-4).

• The material is precious, yet it cannot purchase forgiveness; only obedience to God’s revealed will can restore favor (Micah 6:6-8).

• Individual accountability matters: “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:4).

• Five identical gifts stress that no city could hide behind another’s repentance; seeJoshua 7:1 for the danger of shared guilt.

• Matching plague to place recalls the deliberate judgments ofRevelation 16, where each bowl targets a specific area.

• Corporate sin demands corporate response;Jonah 3 shows Nineveh’s city-wide repentance as a positive parallel.

• These five form the Philistine pentapolis (Joshua 13:3). Each is named to underline the total scope of God’s dealings.

– Ashdod housed Dagon’s temple, where the idol fell before the ark (1 Samuel 5:1-5).

– Gaza was the city Samson once carried away gates from (Judges 16:1-3).

– Ashkelon later hears David’s lament over Saul (2 Samuel 1:20).

– Gath produced Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) and later sheltered David (1 Samuel 27:2-3).

– Ekron cried out in fear when the ark arrived (1 Samuel 5:10-12).

• Listing every city shows God’s concern for specific peoples and places; compare Jesus naming Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for judgment (Luke 10:13-15).

•Amos 1:6-8 prophesies further judgment on these same cities, proving that partial obedience now did not exempt them from future accountability.

1 Samuel 6:17 records a concrete, costly acknowledgment of guilt by a pagan nation. Each phrase teaches: the offering was directed to the LORD, voluntarily returned, precisely matched to the plague, accounted for every city, and named each member of the Philistine league. The verse illustrates that God’s holiness demands restitution, His sovereignty extends beyond Israel, and genuine repentance must be specific and thorough.