Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Samuel 6:1-9

"And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines seven months. And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall sent it to its place. And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but by all means return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. Then said they, What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to him? And they said, Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, [according to] the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. Wherefore ye shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke; and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; and take the ark of Jehovah, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. And see; if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us." — 1 Samuel 6:1-9 (ASV)

For seven months, the Philistines were punished with the presence of the ark; it was a plague to them for all that time because they would not send it home sooner. Sinners prolong their own miseries by refusing to part with their sins. The Israelites made no effort to recover the ark.

Alas! Where will we find concern for religion prevailing above all other matters? In times of public calamity, we fear for ourselves, for our families, and for our country; but who cares for the ark of God? We are favored with the gospel, but it is treated with neglect or contempt. We need not wonder if it should be taken from us; to many persons this, though the heaviest of calamities, would occasion no grief.

There are multitudes whom any religious profession would please as well as that of Christianity. But there are those who value the house, the word, and the ministry of God above their richest possessions, who dread the loss of these blessings more than death. How willing bad men are to shake off their convictions, and when they are in trouble, to believe it is merely a chance occurrence; and that the rod has no voice which they should hear or heed!