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1 Samuel 6

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And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

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And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

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And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

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Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

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Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

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Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

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Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:

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And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

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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.

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And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:

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And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.

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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.

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And they of Beth–shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

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And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth–shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord.

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And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth–shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord.

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And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

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And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

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And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth–shemite.

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And he smote the men of Beth–shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

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And the men of Beth–shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

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And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath–jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.

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1 Samuel 6

The Philistines return the ark on a cart pulled by two milk cows (unhitched to avoid deliberate direction), with an offering of golden tumors and golden rats (matching the plagues they suffered), allowing divine guidance to determine whether the ark's presence brought the calamities (6:9)—a test that affirms the LORD's control over events. The cart proceeds straight to Beth-shemesh in Israelite territory, and the people harvest the wheat, see the ark, and offer the cows as a burnt offering (6:14)—a celebration interrupted when the LORD strikes down men of Beth-shemesh who looked into the ark (6:19), a violation of the sacred that demanded death. The recovered ark is brought to Kiriath-jearim, where it remains for twenty years in the house of Abinadab (6:21—7:1), marking a period of religious instability: the ark is restored yet not returned to the sanctuary, and Israel's cultic center remains compromised. The chapter demonstrates that the ark's journey—from Shiloh through Philistine territory and back to Israel—charts the restoration of divine favor while highlighting the ongoing consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness and the necessity of covenant renewal.

1 Samuel 6:20

The people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter—*vayispdu enosh ha'ir* (the men of the city mourned), recognizing the divine punishment. The *machatz gadol* (great strike, plague) is a reminder that the ark's holiness is terrible; improper proximity to it brings death.

1 Samuel 6:21

And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying: The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD; come down and take it up to you—the *Beth-shemesh* authorities, terrified by the plague, send for the men of Kiriath-jearim to receive the ark. The burden of the sacred vessel is too dangerous for them to bear.

1 Samuel 6:1

The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months—the *shivat yarim* (seven months) is a period of uncleanness, linking the ark's exile to ritual impurity. Seven is both a divine number (symbolizing complete judgment) and a period of purification.

1 Samuel 6:2

Then the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said: What should we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us with what you should send it back to its place—the Philistine *Kohanim* (priests) and *quisim* (diviners) are consulted; even pagan ritualists understand that proper repatriation requires correct *derekh* (way, procedure).

1 Samuel 6:3

They said: If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed and will know why his hand does not turn away from you—the *asham* (guilt offering) is prescribed as restitution. The Philistine priests demonstrate knowledge of Israelite sacrificial theology: *asham* atones and restores relationship.

1 Samuel 6:4

And they said: What is the guilt offering that we should send to him? They answered: Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for the same plague was upon all of you and upon your lords—the Philistine priests prescribe a *micrographic* offering: five *tumors* (tsores, boils) and five *mice* (akbarim) in gold, one for each of the five city-states (*Pelishtim arim*: Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron). The offering is a *sympathetic magic* representation of the plague, a visual confession of guilt.

1 Samuel 6:5

So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps he will lighten his hand off you and your gods and your land—the *temunot* (images) are tokens of repentance, material forms of contrition. *Tatnu kavod le-Elohei Yisra'el* (give glory to the God of Israel) is an act of recognition and submission; the *kavod* (glory, honor) belongs to the LORD, not to Dagon.

1 Samuel 6:6

Why then should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs? When he had dealt severely with them, did not they let the people go, so that they departed?—the Philistine priests invoke the *Exodus narrative* as a cautionary tale. *Hishtamdut lev* (hardening the heart), the language of Pharaoh's resistance (Exodus 7–14), warns against delay and defiance. The priests counsel swift compliance.

1 Samuel 6:7

Now then, get ready a new cart and two milch cows that have never borne a yoke; and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them—the *agalah hadashah* (new cart), the *parot* (cows), and especially the unnatural separation from calves (*et-bneyhem* taken away) create conditions for a divinely ordained act: the cows, driven by maternal instinct to their calves, will be unable to move unless the LORD directs them otherwise.

1 Samuel 6:8

Then take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart, and put in a box at its side the gold objects which you are returning as a guilt offering. Send it off, and let it go its way—the *aron YHWH* is placed on the new cart; the golden *asham* (guilt offering) is secured beside it. The ark is entrusted to *derakhah* (its own way), implying divine guidance.

1 Samuel 6:9

And watch: if it goes up on the road to its own territory toward Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm; but if not, then we shall know that it was not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us—the *sakh* (sign, test) is empirical: the cows will naturally return to their calves, so if they go to Beth-shemesh (Israel), it proves divine agency; if they do not, then the plague was mere chance (*mikreh*), not divine judgment. This *peh* (condition) allows the Philistines to verify God's hand scientifically.

1 Samuel 6:12

And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along the 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—the cows move *yashar* (straight), *nachor* (toward) Beth-shemesh, lowing (*bo'ot*) continuously—a bovine lament for separated calves—yet they do not deviate. The Philistine rulers follow to witness the impossible act, confirming divine action.

1 Samuel 6:13

Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it—the *katzrim* (reapers) of Beth-shemesh see the ark returning. Their *simchah* (rejoicing) is spontaneous; the lost glory of Israel is being restored.

1 Samuel 6:14

The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh, and stopped there. A large stone was there; and they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD—the stopping place in Joshua's field marks the endpoint of the ark's return journey. The *agalah* (cart) and *parot* (cows) become *olah* (burnt offering), a *qadam* (complete sacrifice) of thanksgiving and restitution to the LORD.

1 Samuel 6:15

The Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was with it, in which were the gold objects, and set them upon the large stone. And the people of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices on that day to the LORD—the Levites handle the sacred vessels; the *zevachim* (sacrifices) and *olot* (burnt offerings) are made in gratitude for the ark's return. The liturgical order is restored.

1 Samuel 6:16

When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that same day to Ekron—the Philistine rulers (*sarni Pelishtim*), having witnessed the sign of divine agency, depart. Their compliance is implicit; the divine judgment is vindicated.

1 Samuel 6:17

These are the golden tumors which the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron—the *ashamim* (guilt offerings) are enumerated, one for each Philistine city. The offerings serve as *ot* (sign, memorial) of judgment and repentance.

1 Samuel 6:18

And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and country villages. The great stone, beside which they set down the ark of the LORD, is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh—the *avanim* (stone) becomes *ed* (witness), a lasting memorial. The phrase *ad hayom hazeh* (to this day) confirms the continuity of memory; the stone testifies eternally to the LORD's power.

1 Samuel 6:11

They put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors—the Philistines load the sacred vessel with the *asham*, the offering that will accompany its return.

1 Samuel 6:19

The sons of Jeconiah did not rejoice with the people of Beth-shemesh when they saw the ark of the LORD; and he struck down some of the people of the city, seventy men; and fifty thousand men—the text is textually problematic here (the numbers vary), but the essential point is clear: the *baale Beth-shemesh* (men of Beth-shemesh) who look into the ark ('el-aron YHWH') are struck down (*nakah YHWH* — the LORD struck). The holiness of the ark is not diminished by its captivity; irreverent gazing upon it brings judgment.

1 Samuel 6:10

The men did so; they took two milch cows and yoked them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home—the test is executed precisely. The separation of mothers and young is the mechanism by which divine will is demonstrated through natural maternal instinct.