1 Samuel 6

1When the arkH727 of the LORDH3068 had beenH1961 in the landH7704 of the PhilistinesH6430 sevenH7651 monthsH2320, 2the PhilistinesH6430 summonedH7121 the priestsH3548 and divinersH7080, sayingH559, “WhatH4100 shall we doH6213 with the arkH727 of the LORDH3068? Tell usH3045 howH4100 to send it backH7971 to its placeH4725.”

3They repliedH559, “IfH518 you returnH7971 the arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, do notH408 send it awayH7971 emptyH7387, butH3588 by all means returnH7725 it to Him with a guilt offeringH817. ThenH227 you will be healedH7495, and you will understandH3045 whyH4100 His handH3027 has notH3808 been liftedH5493 from you.”

4“WhatH4100 guilt offeringH817 should we send backH7725 to Him?” asked the PhilistinesH559.

“FiveH2568 goldH2091 tumorsH6076 and fiveH2568 goldH2091 ratsH5909,” they saidH559, “according to the numberH4557 of rulersH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430, sinceH3588 the sameH259 plagueH4046 has struck both youH3605 and your rulersH5633. 5MakeH6213 imagesH6754 of your tumorsH6076H6754 and of the ratsH5909 that are ravagingH7843 the landH776. GiveH5414 gloryH3519 to the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, and perhapsH194 He will liftH7043 His handH3027 from youH5921 andH5921 your godsH430 andH5921 your landH776.

6WhyH4100 hardenH35131 your heartsH3824 asH834 the EgyptiansH4713 and PharaohH6547 hardenedH3513 theirsH3820? WhenH834 He afflictedH5953 them, did they notH3808 send the people outH7971 so they could go on their wayH1980?

7Now, thereforeH6258H3947, prepareH6213 oneH259 newH2319 cartH5699 with twoH8147 milkH5763 cowsH6510 thatH834 have neverH3808 been yokedH5927H5921H5923. HitchH631 the cowsH6510 to the cartH5699, but take their calvesH1121H310 awayH7725 and pen them upH1004. 8TakeH3947 the arkH727 of the LORDH3068, setH5414 itH853 onH413 the cartH5699, andH853 in a chestH712 beside itH6654 putH7760 the goldH2091 objectsH3627 you are sending backH7725 to Him as a guilt offeringH817.

Then sendH7971 the ark on its wayH1980, 9but keep watching itH7200. IfH518 it goes upH5927 the roadH1870 to its homelandH1366, toward Beth-shemeshH1053, it is the LORDH1931 who has broughtH6213 on us thisH2063 greatH1419 disasterH7451. But ifH518 it does notH3808, then we will knowH3045 thatH3588 it was notH3808 His handH3027 that punishedH5060 us and that itH1931 happenedH1961 by chanceH4745.”

10So the menH582 didH6213 as instructed. They tookH3947 twoH8147 milkH5763 cowsH6510, hitched themH631 to the cartH5699, and penned upH3607H1004 their calvesH1121. 11Then they putH7760 the arkH727 of the LORDH3068 onH413 the cartH5699, along with the chestH712 containing the goldH2091 ratsH5909 and the imagesH6754 of the tumorsH2914.

12And the cowsH6510 headed straightH3474 up the roadH1870 towardH5921H1870 Beth-shemeshH1053, staying on that oneH259 highwayH4546 and lowingH1600 as they wentH1980, neverH3808 strayingH5493 to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040. The rulersH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 followedH1980 behind themH310 toH5704 the borderH1366 of Beth-shemeshH1053.

13Now the people of Beth-shemeshH1053 were harvestingH7114H7105 wheatH2406 in the valleyH6010, and when they looked upH5375 and sawH7200 the arkH727, they were overjoyedH8055 at the sightH7200.

14The cartH5699 cameH935 toH413 the fieldH7704 of JoshuaH3091 of Beth-shemeshH1030 and stoppedH5975 thereH8033 near a largeH1419 rockH68. The people chopped upH1234 the cartH5699 and offeredH5927 the cowsH6510 as a burnt offeringH5930 to the LORDH3068. 15And the LevitesH3881 took downH3381 the arkH727 of the LORDH3068 andH853 the chestH712 containingH834H854 the goldH2091 objectsH3627, and they placed themH7760 onH413 the largeH1419 rockH68. ThatH1931 dayH3117 the menH582 of Beth-shemeshH1053 offeredH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and madeH2076 sacrificesH2077 to the LORDH3068.

16And when the fiveH2568 rulersH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 sawH7200 this, they returnedH7725 to EkronH6138 that sameH1931 dayH3117.

17

As a guilt offeringH817 to the LORDH3068, the PhilistinesH6430 had sent backH7725 oneH259 goldH2091 tumorH2914 for each city: AshdodH795, GazaH5804H259, AshkelonH831H259, GathH1661H259, and EkronH6138H259. 18The number of goldH2091 ratsH5909 also corresponded to the numberH4557H3605 of PhilistineH6430 citiesH5892 belonging to the fiveH2568 rulersH5633—the fortifiedH4013 citiesH5892 andH5704 their outlyingH6521H5704 villagesH3724. And the largeH1419 rockH592 onH5921 whichH834 they placedH5117 the arkH727 of the LORDH3068 stands toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117 in the fieldH7704 of JoshuaH3091 of Beth-shemeshH1030.

19But God struck downH5221H582 some of the peopleH1053 of Beth-shemeshH1053 becauseH3588 they lookedH7200 inside the arkH727 of the LORDH3068. He struck downH5221 seventyH7657 menH376,3 and the people mournedH56 becauseH3588 the LORDH3068H5971 had struckH5221 themH5971 with a greatH1419 slaughterH4347.

20The menH582 of Beth-shemeshH1053 askedH559, “WhoH4310 canH3201 standH5975 in the presenceH6440 of the LORDH3068, thisH2088 holyH6918 GodH430? ToH413 whomH4310 should the ark go upH5927 from hereH5921?”

21So they sentH7971 messengersH4397 toH413 the peopleH3427 of Kiriath-jearimH7157, sayingH559, “The PhilistinesH6430 have returnedH7725 the arkH727 of the LORDH3068. Come downH3381 and take it upH5927 with youH413.”