Samuel & King Saul

“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;

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.

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 men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;

and they put the LORD’s ark on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.

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.

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.

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.

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.

When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

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;

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.

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.

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?”

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.”

The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and took the LORD’s ark, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the LORD’s ark.

From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you do return to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to the LORD.”

They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD: and Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel; and the LORD answered him.

As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.