1 Samuel 6:1

“And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.] Or “in the field” f108 of the Philistines; hence Procopius Gazaeus observes, that none of the cities daring to receive the ark, they left it without under the open air, so thinking they should be delivered from their calamity. But the word is often used for country, and is generally so understood here; the Targum is, “in the cities of the Philistines;” in one or other of them, first for a while in Ashdod, and then for some time in Gath, and last in Ekron, and in all seven months from the time of its being taken; and it being in wheat harvest when it was returned, (<090613>1 Samuel 6:13), these seven months will…”

“THE PHILISTINES COUNSEL HOW TO SEND BACK THE ARK. (Sa1 6:1-9) the ark . . . was in the country of the Philistines seven months--Notwithstanding the calamities which its presence had brought on the country and the people, the Philistine lords were unwilling to relinquish such a prize, and tried every means to retain it with peace and safety, but in vain.”

“Seven months - So long they kept it, as loath to lose so great a prize, and willing to try all ways to keep it. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 6:3”

“am 2864, bc 1140, An, Ex, Is, 351 the ark: Sa1 5:1, Sa1 5:3, Sa1 5:10, Sa1 5:11; Psa 78:61 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 6:2”

“The Ark of God Sent Back. - Sa1 6:1-3. The ark of Jehovah was in the land (lit. the fields, as in Rut 1:2) of the Philistines for seven months, and had brought destruction to all the towns to which it had been taken. At length the Philistines resolved to send it back to the Israelites, and therefore called their priests and diviners (see at Num 23:23) to ask them, "What shall we do with regard to the ark of God; tell us, with what shall we send it to its place?" "Its place" is the land of Israel, and בּמּה does not mean "in what manner" (quomodo: Vulgate, Thenius), but with what, wherewith (as in Mic 6:6). There is no force in the objection brought by Thenius, that if the question had…”