1 Samuel6

After seven months, the Philistines, afflicted by the Ark of the LORD, consult their priests and diviners on how to return it. They are advised to send it with a trespass offering of golden emerods and mice, using unyoked milch kine to test if the plagues were from the God of Israel. The kine miraculously transport the Ark directly to Bethshemesh, where the inhabitants rejoice but are smitten by the LORD for looking into the Ark, leading them to send it away.

The Philistines Seek to Return the Ark

1
the LORD’s ark was in the country of the Philistines seven months. ​
2
The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the LORD’s ark? Show us with which we shall send it to its place.” ​
3
They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means 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 they said, “What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?” They said, “Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. ​
5
Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. ​
6
Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed? ​
7
“Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; ​
8
and take the LORD’s ark, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go.
9
Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us.” ​

The Ark's Miraculous Journey to Beth-shemesh

10
The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
11
and they put the LORD’s ark on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.
12
The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh. ​
13
They of Beth 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
The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to the LORD. ​
15
The Levites took down the LORD’s ark, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to the LORD. ​
16
When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17
These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to the LORD: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon 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, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the LORD’s ark. That stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. ​

Judgment on Beth-shemesh and the Ark's Relocation

19
He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the LORD’s ark, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. ​
20
The men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?” ​
21
They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the LORD’s ark. Come down, and bring it up to yourselves.” ​

Study Notes for 1 Samuel 6

Verse 1

The seven-month period underscores the duration of the Philistine suffering, confirming that the plagues were not random but were divine judgment for possessing the sacred Ark.

Verse 2

The Philistines consult both 'priests' (religious officials) and 'diviners' (interpreters of omens), combining their religious and occult resources to understand the power of the God of Israel.

Verse 3

The requirement for a 'trespass offering' (Hebrew: *’asham*) mirrors Israelite law (Leviticus 5), suggesting the consultants recognized that YHWH required atonement and reparation for the offense against His holiness.

Verse 4

The 'golden emerods' (tumors or hemorrhoids) and 'mice' (likely representing the carriers of the bubonic plague) were votive offerings—replicas of the affliction—intended to appease the offended deity, a common practice in the ancient Near East.

Verse 5

By offering these images, the Philistines implicitly acknowledged YHWH’s supremacy over their own gods and sought to divert His hand of judgment. To 'give glory' here means to recognize His power.

Verse 6

The consultants warn the Philistine lords against hardening their hearts, citing the famous example of Pharaoh and the Exodus plagues, demonstrating that YHWH’s power was known even among their enemies.

Verse 7

The kine (cows) were chosen for two specific reasons: they had never been yoked (making them difficult to control) and they were nursing their calves (creating a strong natural maternal instinct to return home).

Verse 9

This verse sets up the test: if the cows ignore instinct and travel directly to Israelite territory (Beth-shemesh), it proves the plague was divine judgment; otherwise, it was merely 'chance' (*miqreh*).

Verse 12

The straight path taken by the cows, despite their strong instinct to return to their calves, confirmed to the Philistines that the hand of the God of Israel had guided the Ark supernaturally.

Verse 14

The immediate action of offering the cart and the kine as a burnt offering demonstrates the inhabitants' gratitude and recognition that YHWH had delivered His Ark.

Verse 15

The Levites, who were responsible for the proper handling of the Ark, took it down and placed it, along with the offerings, on the great stone, validating the return ritual.

Verse 17

The number five corresponds exactly to the 'five lords' of the Philistine confederation (Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), indicating that the plague had affected the entire ruling structure.

Verse 18

The mention of the golden mice indicates a plague that affected both fortified cities and the surrounding agricultural areas, confirming the widespread nature of the judgment.

Verse 19

The severity of the judgment highlights the absolute holiness of the Ark and the strict prohibition against unauthorized viewing (Numbers 4:20). The casual curiosity of the Beth-shemesh residents was treated as sacrilege.

Verse 20

This exclamation shows the people recognized that YHWH’s holiness (*qadosh*) was terrifying and required a level of ritual purity and reverence they had failed to provide.

Verse 21

The Ark was subsequently taken to Kirjath-jearim, a Gibeonite city, where it remained in the house of Abinadab for twenty years (7:2) until King David moved it to Jerusalem.

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