1 Now the ark of the LORD had been in the country of the Philistinessevenmonths.
2
And 1the Philistinescalled for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we shall send it to its place."
3
They said, "If you sendaway the ark of the God of Israel, 2do not send it empty; but you shall surely3return to Him a guiltoffering. Then you will be healed and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you."
4
Then they said, "What shall be the guiltofferingwhich we shall return to Him?" And they said, "Fivegolden4tumors and fivegoldenmice5according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for oneplague was on all of you and on your lords.
5
"So you shall makelikenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that ravage the land, and 6you shall giveglory to the God of Israel; perhaps7He will ease His hand from you, 8your gods, and your land.
6
"Why then do you harden your hearts9as the Egyptians and Pharaohhardened their hearts? When He had severelydealt with them, 10did they not allow the people to go, and they departed?
7
"Now therefore, take and 11prepare a newcart and twomilchcows on which there 12has neverbeen a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calveshome, away from them.