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 fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.”
King James Version (KJV)

Other Translations of 1 Samuel 6:18

And the golden Mice according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, belonging to the fiue lordes, both of fenced cities, and of countrey villages, euen vnto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set downe the Arke of the Lord; which stone remaineth vnto this day, in the field of Ioshua the Bethshemite.
- King James Version (1611) - Compare to scan of original 1 Samuel chapter 6

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. The large stone on which they set the ark of the LORD {is a witness} to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

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.
- American Standard Version (1901)

And the gold mice, one for every town of the Philistines, the property of the five lords, walled towns as well as country places: and the great stone where they put the ark of the Lord is still in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite to this day.
- Basic English Bible

and the golden mice, [according to] the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and villages of the peasantry; [and they brought them] as far as the great [stone of] Abel, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, [which] is to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite.
- Darby Bible

And the golden mice according to the number of the cities of the Philistines, of the five provinces, from the fenced city to the village that was without wall, and to the great Abel (the stone) whereon they set down the ark of the Lord, which was till that day in the field of Josue the Bethsamite.
- Douay Rheims Bible

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 to the great stone of Abel, on which they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
- Webster's Bible

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 to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, [which stone remains] to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
- World English Bible

and the golden mice -- the number of all the cities of the Philistines -- for the five princes, from the fenced city even unto the hamlet of the villages, even unto the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah -- [are] unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite.
- Youngs Literal Bible

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 Abel by the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD, which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
- Jewish Publication Society Bible

Chris's comment on 2020-11-12 14:52:34:

I don't believe that this Stone of Abel (v18) has anything to do with its namesake. After a little research, which is of course inconclusive, this is the same stone referred to in verses 14 & 15. And in these verses, this stone is 'Eben Gedolah' but was changed to 'Abel Gedolah', which is a play on the words so as to signify the great mourning of verses 19-21.

Remembering the great tragedy at the killing of Abel by his brother Cain, it was likened to the great lamentation over the loss of so many at Bethshemesh because of their sin of taking the Ark of the Covenant & peering into it. So this stone may have been the base of the Ark of the Covenant when it was returned to Israel but it had nothing to do with Abel, just a change of wording from a 'great stone' to a 'great Abel' in their deep sorrow.

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