Sasaki et al. observed an iron ball suspended in midair below five iron balls, in a plastic box attracted by a permanent magnet [J. Appl. Phys. 95, No.4, 2090 (2004)]. The magnetic field exerted by the permanent magnet and five iron balls is analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The position of the suspended iron ball is also calculated from the field, and the results agree well with experimental findings. Without a plastic box, however, an iron ball is found to move away along the magnet ring axis, which is consistent with Earnshaw’s theorem.