1 Samuel 6:16

16 After the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they went back 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 into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh and stopped there by a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.

15 (The Levites had already taken down [from the cart] the ark of the LORD and the box which contained the gold objects and put them on the large rock.) The people of Beth Shemesh presented burnt offerings and sacrifices to the LORD that day.

16 After the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they went back to Ekron that same day.

17 The gold hemorrhoids which the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the LORD were for the cities of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.

18 And the number of gold mice was the same as the number of Philistine cities belonging to the five rulers, including walled cities and farm villages. The large rock on which they put the ark of the LORD is a witness. It is still there today in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.