1 Samuel 6:16

16 When the five Philistine rulers^[a] observed [this], they returned to Ekron that same day.

1 Samuel 6:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 6:16

And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it
Observed all that was done, how the kine performed their journey, drew the cart in which the ark was straight to Bethshemesh, stopped in a field near it, where it was received joyfully by the people, and sacrifices offered on account of it:

they returned to Ekron the same day;
as they might very well, since it was but twelve miles from Bethshemesh.

1 Samuel 6:16 In-Context

14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there near a large rock. The people of the city chopped up the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.

15 The Levites removed the ark of the Lord, along with the box containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. That day the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord.

16 When the five Philistine rulers observed [this], they returned to Ekron that same day.

17 As a guilt offering to the Lord, the Philistines had sent back one gold tumor for each city: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.

18 The number of gold mice also [corresponded] to the number of Philistine cities of the five rulers, the fortified cities and the outlying villages. The large rock on which the ark of the Lord was placed is in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh to this day.

Footnotes

• [a] Jos 13:3