Filistijnen zenden de Ark des Verbonds terug naar Israël 1645 - 1740

This engraving by Christoffel van Sichem the Younger illustrates a scene from the Old Testament book of Samuel and was made in the Netherlands, around the mid-17th century. Sichem's image depicts the return of the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites by the Philistines. The Ark, a sacred chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, had been captured by the Philistines, who suffered divine retribution in the form of plagues. Here, we see them sending it back, accompanied by offerings to appease God. The engraving reflects the cultural and religious context of the Dutch Golden Age. The Dutch Republic was a center of biblical scholarship and artistic production, and Sichem's work would have resonated with a society deeply invested in religious narratives and moral lessons. The choice of this particular scene may reflect contemporary political issues related to the role of religion in society. To fully appreciate this work, researchers might look at Dutch religious history, the reception of the Old Testament in Dutch culture, and the role of printmaking in disseminating religious ideas.