1 Samuel 6:9

1 Samuel 6:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth–shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.
• New International Version (NIV)but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the Lord has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us but that it happened to us by chance.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence."
• New Living Translation (NLT)If they cross the border of our land and go to Beth-shemesh, we will know it was the Lord who brought this great disaster upon us. If they don’t, we will know it was not his hand that caused the plague. It came simply by chance.”

Context of 1 Samuel 6:9

7Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. 8Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance.” 10Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors.

1 Samuel 6:9 word by word

וּרְאִיתֶ֗ם אִם־דֶּ֨רֶךְ גְּבוּל֤וֹ יַֽעֲלֶה֙ בֵּ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ ה֚וּא עָ֣שָׂה לָ֔נוּ אֶת־הָרָעָ֥ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את וְאִם־לֹ֗א וְיָדַ֙עְנוּ֙ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָדוֹ֙ נָ֣גְעָה בָּ֔נוּ מִקְרֶ֥ה ה֖וּא הָ֥יָה לָֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• if it goeth upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• by the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• of his own coastגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
• to Beth–shemeshבֵּית שֶׁ֫מֶשׁbêyth shemesh · Beth-shemeshH1053
• he hath doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• us this greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
• but if not, then we shall knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not his handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• smoteנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• a chanceמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
• happened to usהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 6:9

• Joshua 15:10Then the border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (which is Chesalon), went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed on to Timnah.
• Joshua 21:16Ain with its common-land, Juttah with its common-land, and Beth Shemesh with its common-land: nine cities from those two tribes;
• Amos 3:6If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?
• 1 Samuel 6:3So they said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”
• Isaiah 26:11Lord, when Your hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they will see and be ashamed For their envy of people; Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them.
• 2 Samuel 1:6Then the young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, there was Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
• Ecclesiastes 9:11I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.
• Luke 10:31Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9A chance that happened to us - The word מקרה mikreh, from קרה karah, to meet or coalesce, signifies an event that naturally arises from such concurring causes as, in the order and nature of things, must produce it. Thus a bad state of the atmosphere, putrid exhalations, bad diet, occasioned by any general scarcity, might have produced the disease in question; and to something of this kind they would attribute it, if the other evidences did not concur…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Bethshemesh was the first Israelite town they would come to, being on the border of Judah. (See the marginal reference.)Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Beth-shemesh was the nearest Israelite town to Ekron (a Philistine city) (1 Samuel 5:10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-129-12. Beth-shemesh--that is, "house of the sun," now Ain Shems [Robinson], a city of priests in Judah, in the southeast border of Dan, lying in a beautiful and extensive valley. Josephus says they were set a-going near a place where the road divided into two--the one leading back to Ekron, where were their calves, and the other to Beth-shemesh. Their frequent lowings attested their ardent longing for their young, and at the same time the supernatural…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 6:9

• Beth-Shemesh
• Cart
• Cow
• Kirjath-Jearim
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Beth-Shemesh
• Along
• Chance
• David
• Harden
• Return
• Samuel, Books of
• Ark of the Covenant
• God
• Hap; Haply

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings