1 Samuel 6

The Ark Returned to Israel

1Now the arkH727 of the LordH3068 had beenH1961 in the territoryH7704 of the PhilistinesH6430 for sevenH7651 monthsH2320. 2And 1the PhilistinesH6430 calledH7121 for the priestsH3548 and the divinersH7080, sayingH559, “WhatH4100 are we to doH6213 with the arkH727 of the LordH3068? TellH3045 us 2howH4100 we may sendH7971 it to its placeH4725.” 3And they saidH559, “IfH518 you are going to sendH7971 the arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 awayH7971, 3do not sendH7971 it emptyH7387; but you shall certainlyH7725 4returnH7725 to Him a guiltH817 offeringH817. ThenH227 you will be healedH7495, and it will be revealedH3045 to you whyH4100 His handH3027 does not leaveH5493 you.” 4Then they saidH559, “WhatH4100 is to be the guiltH817 offeringH817 that we shall returnH7725 to Him?” And they saidH559, “FiveH2568 goldH2091 5tumorsH6076 and fiveH2568 goldH2091 miceH5909 6corresponding to the numberH4557 of the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430, sinceH3588 oneH259 plagueH4046 was on allH3605 of 7you and on your governorsH5633. 5So you shall makeH6213 likenessesH6754 of your tumorsH6076 and likenessesH6754 of your miceH5909 that are ruiningH7843 the landH776, and 8you shall giveH5414 gloryH3519 to the GodH430 of IsraelH3478; perhapsH194 9He will lightenH7043 His handH3027 from you, 10your godsH430, and your landH776. 6WhyH4100 then do you hardenH3513 your heartsH3824 11as the EgyptiansH4714 and PharaohH6547 hardenedH3513 their heartsH3820? WhenH3512 He had severelyH5953 dealtH5953 with them, 12did they not letH7971 13the people goH7971, and they leftH1980? 7NowH6258 then, takeH3947 and 14prepareH6213 a newH2319 cartH5699 and twoH8147 milkH5763 cowsH6510 on whichH834 there 15has neverH3808 beenH5927 a yokeH5923; and hitchH631 the cowsH6510 to the cartH5699 and takeH7725 their calvesH1121 backH7725 homeH1004, awayH310 from them. 8Then takeH3947 the arkH727 of the LordH3068 and placeH5414 it on the cartH5699; and putH7760 16the articlesH3627 of goldH2091 whichH834 you returnH7725 to Him as 17a guiltH817 offeringH817 in a saddlebagH712 by its sideH6654. Then sendH7971 it awayH7971 that it may goH1980. 9But watchH7200: ifH518 it goesH5927 upH5927 by the wayH1870 of its own territoryH1366 to 18Beth-shemeshH1053, then He has doneH6213 thisH2088 greatH1419 evilH7463 to us. But ifH518 not, then 19we will knowH3045 that it was not His handH3027 that struckH5060 us; it happenedH1961 to us by chanceH4745.”

10Then the menH376 didH6213 soH3651: they tookH3947 twoH8147 milkH5763 cowsH6510 and hitchedH631 them to the cartH5699, and shutH3607 in their calvesH1121 at homeH1004. 11And they putH7760 the arkH727 of the LordH3068 on the cartH5699, and the saddlebagH712 with the goldH2091 miceH5909 and the likenessesH6754 of their tumorsH2914. 12Now the cowsH6510 wentH3474 straightH3474 in the 20directionH1870 of 21Beth-shemeshH1053; they wentH1980 on 22the sameH259 roadH4546, bellowingH1600 as they wentH1980, and did not turnH5493 offH5493 to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040. And the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 followedH1980H310 them to the borderH1366 of Beth-shemeshH1053.

13Now the people of Beth-shemeshH1053 were gatheringH7114 inH7114 their wheatH2406 harvestH7105 in the valleyH6010, and they raisedH5375 their eyesH5869 and sawH7200 the arkH727, and rejoicedH8055 at seeingH7200 it. 14And the cartH5699 cameH935 into the fieldH7704 of JoshuaH3091 the Beth-shemiteH1030 and stoppedH5975 thereH8033 where thereH8033 was a largeH1419 stoneH68; and they splitH1234 the woodH6086 of the cartH5699 and 23offeredH5927 the cowsH6510 as a burntH5930 offeringH5930 to the LordH3068. 15And 24the LevitesH3881 tookH3381 downH3381 the arkH727 of the LordH3068 and the saddlebagH712 that was with it, in whichH834 were the articlesH3627 of goldH2091, and putH7760 them on the largeH1419 stoneH68; and the menH376 of Beth-shemeshH1053 offeredH5927 burntH5930 offeringsH5930 and sacrificedH2076 sacrificesH2077 that dayH3117 to the LordH3068. 16When the 25fiveH2568 governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 sawH7200 it, they returnedH7725 to EkronH6138 that dayH3117.

17Now 26theseH428 are the goldH2091 tumorsH2914 whichH834 the PhilistinesH6430 returnedH7725 as a guiltH817 offeringH817 to the LordH3068: oneH259 for AshdodH795, oneH259 for GazaH5804, oneH259 for AshkelonH831, oneH259 for GathH1661, and oneH259 for EkronH6138; 18and the goldH2091 miceH5909, corresponding to the numberH4557 of allH3605 the citiesH5892 of the PhilistinesH6430 belonging to the fiveH2568 governorsH5633, 27bothH4480 of fortifiedH4013 citiesH5892 and of countryH6521 villagesH3724. 28The largeH1419 29stoneH68 on whichH834 they placedH5117 the arkH727 of the LordH3068 is a witness to thisH2088 dayH3117 in the fieldH7704 of JoshuaH3091 the Beth-shemiteH1030.

1930Now He fatallyH5221 struckH5221 some of the menH376 of Beth-shemeshH1053 becauseH3588 they had lookedH7200 into the arkH727 of the LordH3068. He struckH5221 50,070H7657H2572H505 menH376 among the peopleH5971, and the peopleH5971 mournedH56 becauseH3588 the LordH3068 had struckH5221 the peopleH5971 with a greatH1419 slaughterH4347. 20And the menH376 of Beth-shemeshH1053 saidH559, “31WhoH4310 isH3201 ableH3201 to standH5975 beforeH6440 the LordH3068, thisH2088 holyH6918 GodH430? And to whomH4310 will He goH5927 upH5927 from us?” 21So they sentH7971 messengersH4397 to the inhabitantsH3427 of 32Kiriath-jearimH7157, sayingH559, “The PhilistinesH6430 have broughtH7725 backH7725 the arkH727 of the LordH3068; comeH3381 downH3381 and takeH5927 it upH5927 to yourselves.”