1 Samuel 6:18

Free Bible Version

The gold rats represented the number of Philistine towns of the five rulers—the fortified towns and their surrounding villages. The large rock on which they placed the Ark of the Lord still stands to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh as a witness to what happened there.

Cross References

Deuteronomy 3:5

All of these towns were fortified with high walls and gates with bars. There were many more villages as well, those that didn't have walls.

Joshua 13:3

from the Shihur River on the border with Egypt north to the border of Ekron—all of which is counted as Canaanite but comes under the five Philistine lords of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. In addition there's the land of the Avvites

1 Samuel 6:4

“What kind of guilt offering should we send back to him?” asked the Philistines. “Five gold objects in the shape of the swellings, and five gold rats representing the number of rulers of the Philistines,” they replied. “The same plague attacked both you and your rulers.