Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 6:18

"and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite." — 1 Samuel 6:18 (ASV)

And the golden mice. —We have here a far greater number of “golden mice” mentioned as being offered in expiation than appear specified in the directions of the priests and diviners (1 Samuel 6:4). The truth was that while the human sickness was confined to the five cities, the plague of field mice no doubt extended over the whole country. The inhabitants of all the villages were anxious to do their part to propitiate the insulted Hebrew God, and to get rid of the plague which was devastating their fields and vineyards; hence this large offering, so much in excess of what was suggested by the diviners.

The great stone of Abel. —The Septuagint Version reads here, And this great stone on which they placed the Ark of Jehovah, which is in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, is a witness to this day. With this reading the Chaldee Targum substantially agrees.

The Hebrew text here is hopelessly corrupt; the copies which the Greek translators and the Chaldee Targumist apparently had before them, instead of the word “Avel” (Abel), which signifies mourning, read the word ă ven, a stone, and the punctuation of v’ad, “and to,” in the last clause was evidently (v’ed), “and a witness.” If the reading Avel be the true one (“even to the great Avel”), then the conjecture of R. D. Kimchi is probably right, that this stone was known as the Great Avel (or Abel), “the great mourning,” owing to the terrible judicial calamity, related in the next three verses (1 Samuel 6:19–21), which happened there. With this slight change a very good sense is obtained.