1 Samuel 6:4-14

4 qui dixerunt quid est quod pro delicto reddere debeamus ei responderuntque illi

5 iuxta numerum provinciarum Philisthim quinque anos aureos facietis et quinque mures aureos quia plaga una fuit omnibus vobis et satrapis vestris facietisque similitudines anorum vestrorum et similitudines murium qui demoliti sunt terram et dabitis Deo Israhel gloriam si forte relevet manum suam a vobis et a diis vestris et a terra vestra

6 quare gravatis corda vestra sicut adgravavit Aegyptus et Pharao cor suum nonne postquam percussus est tunc dimisit eos et abierunt

7 nunc ergo arripite et facite plaustrum novum unum et duas vaccas fetas quibus non est inpositum iugum iungite in plaustro et recludite vitulos earum domi

8 tolletisque arcam Domini et ponetis in plaustro et vasa aurea quae exsolvistis ei pro delicto ponetis in capsella ad latus eius et dimittite eam ut vadat

9 et aspicietis et si quidem per viam finium suorum ascenderit contra Bethsames ipse fecit nobis malum hoc grande sin autem minime sciemus quia nequaquam manus eius tetigit nos sed casu accidit

10 fecerunt ergo illi hoc modo et tollentes duas vaccas quae lactabant vitulos iunxerunt ad plaustrum vitulosque earum concluserunt domi

11 et posuerunt arcam Dei super plaustrum et capsellam quae habebat mures aureos et similitudinem anorum

12 ibant autem in directum vaccae per viam quae ducit Bethsames et itinere uno gradiebantur pergentes et mugientes et non declinabant neque ad dextram neque ad sinistram sed et satrapae Philisthinorum sequebantur usque ad terminos Bethsames

13 porro Bethsamitae metebant triticum in valle et elevantes oculos viderunt arcam et gavisi sunt cum vidissent

14 et plaustrum venit in agrum Iosue Bethsamitae et stetit ibi erat autem ibi lapis magnus et conciderunt ligna plaustri vaccasque inposuerunt super ea holocaustum Domino

1 Samuel 6:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 6

In this chapter we are told the Philistines advised with their priests what to do with the ark, and wherewith to send it home, 1Sa 6:1,2 whose advice was to send with it a trespass offering, golden images of emerods and mice, and to put it on a new cart, and the images in a coffer on the side of the ark, and draw it with two cows, 1Sa 6:3-8, and gave them a token whereby they might know whether they had been smitten by the God of Israel or not, 1Sa 6:9 which advice they took, and acted in all things according to it; and the lords of the Philistines accompanied the ark to the border of Bethshemesh, 1Sa 6:10-12, where they of Bethshemesh received it with joy, and offered the kine for a burnt offering to the Lord, and the Levites took care of the ark and presents in it, and the lords of the Philistines returned home, 1Sa 6:13-18, but they of Bethshemesh looking into the ark were smitten of God, upon which they sent to the men of Kirjathjearim to fetch it from them, 1Sa 6:19-21.