1 Samuel 6

1 And the ark of יהוה was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

2 And the Philistines called for the priests (kohanim) and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do to the ark of יהוה? Tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place.”

3 And they said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael), send it not empty; but in any wise return Him a trespass offering; then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”

4 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 (seranim) of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords (seranim).

5 Wherefore you shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory unto the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael); peradventure He will lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods (elohim), and from off your land.

6 Wherefore then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians (Mitsrayim) and Pharaoh (Paroh) hardened their hearts? When He had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

7 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.

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

9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beit-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.”

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

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

12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beit-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 (seranim) of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beit-Shemesh.

13 And they of Beit-Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua (Yehoshua), a Beit-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 יהוה.

15 And the Levites (Lewiyim) took down the ark of יהוה, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beit-Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto יהוה.

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

17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto יהוה: for Ashdod one, for Gaza (Azzah) one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords (seranim), both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Avel, whereon they set down the ark of יהוה, which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua (Yehoshua), the Beit-Shemite.

19 And He smote the men of Beit-Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of יהוה, even He smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men; and the people lamented, because יהוה had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

20 And the men of Beit-Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy God (Elohim) יהוה? And to whom shall He go up from us?”

21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Qiryat-Yearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought again the ark of יהוה; come you down, and fetch it up to you.”