1 Samuel 6:12

1 Samuel 6:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth–shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth–shemesh.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

Context of 1 Samuel 6:12

10So these instructions were carried out. Two cows were hitched to the cart, and their newborn calves were shut up in a pen. 11Then the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart. And sure enough, without veering off in other directions, the cows went straight along the road toward Beth-shemesh, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh. 13The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed! 14The cart came into the field of a man named Joshua and stopped beside a large rock. So the people broke up the wood of the cart for a fire and killed the cows and sacrificed them to the Lord as a burnt offering.

1 Samuel 6:12 word by word

וַיִשַּׁ֨רְנָה הַפָּר֜וֹת בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ עַל־דֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ בֵּ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ בִּמְסִלָּ֣ה אַחַ֗ת הָלְכ֤וּ הָלֹךְ֙ וְגָע֔וֹ וְלֹא־סָ֖רוּ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול וְסַרְנֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ הֹלְכִ֣ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם עַד־גְּב֖וּל בֵּ֥ית שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the kineפָּרָהpârâh · heiferH6510
• took the straightיָשַׁרyâshar · to smoothH3474
• wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• to the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: directionH1870
• of Beth–shemeshבֵּית שֶׁ֫מֶשׁbêyth shemesh · Beth-shemeshH1053
• went alongהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• the highwayאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• the highwayמְסִלָּהmesillâh · highwayH4546
• lowingגָּעָהgâ‛âh · to lowH1600
• as they wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: journeyH1980
• and turned not asideסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• the right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• the leftשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
• and the lordsסֶ֫רֶןseren · lordH5633
• of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: followH1980
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• them unto the borderגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: boundaryH1366

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 6:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Lowing as they went - Calling for their calves. To the right hand or to the left - Some think they were placed where two roads met; one going to Ekron, the other to Beth-shemesh. It is possible that they were put in such circumstances as these for the greater certainty of the affair: to have turned from their own homes, from their calves and known pasture, and to have taken the road to a strange country, must argue supernatural influence. The lords of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Lowing as they went - Milking cows had been chosen on purpose to make the sign more significant. Nature would obviously dispose the cows to go toward their calves; their going in an opposite direction was therefore plainly a divine impulse overruling their natural inclination. And this is brought out more distinctly by the mention of their lowing, which was caused by their remembering their calves. And the lords … - This circumstance of the five satraps…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-18Verses 10-18 These two kine knew their owner, their great Owner, whom Hophin and Phinehas knew not. God's providence takes notice even of brute creatures, and serves its own purposes by them. When the reapers saw the ark, they rejoiced; their joy for that was greater than the joy of harvest. The return of the ark, and the revival of holy ordinances, after days of restraint and trouble, are matters of great joy.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 6:12

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

In the dictionaries

• Philistines
• Beth-Shemesh
• Lords of the Philistines
• Along
• David
• Harden
• Return
• Samuel, Books of
• Ark of the Covenant
• Cart

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