1 Samuel 6

After that the Ark had been seven moneths with the Philistines, ver.1. &c. they consult with the Priests, how they shall send it back, 2. They advise not to send it back empty, but with some Present, 3. Namely, with five golden Emerods and Mice, 4. On a new Cart, 7. The Philistines did so, 10. The Kine that were tied to the Carts, went the straight wat to Beth-Semes, 12. Where the Levites offer sacrifice for it, 14. What Princes and Cities offered golden emerods amd mice, 17. The Beth-Semites are grievously smitten of the Lord, for their curiosity in looking into the Ark, 19. They request them of Kiriath-Jearim, to fetch away the Ark from thence, and to bring in into their own city , 20.

1. Now when the Ark of the LORD had been seven moneths in the land of the Philistines.

2. Then the Philistines called the Princes and the Soothsayers, saying, What shall we do with the Ark of the LORD? Let us know wherewith [Oth. How} we shall send it to its place. [viz. into the land of Israel.]

3. Then they said; If ye send away the Ark of the God of Israel, send it not away empty, [i.e. Without a Present or Gratuity] but in any wise render unto [Heb. rendering render unto] him [viz. the God of Israel] a trespasse-offering: then shall ye be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand [i.e. the plague or punishmet, which onely cometh from the power and providence of God] departeth not from you.

4. Then said they, What is that trespasse-offering which we shall render unto him? And they said, five golden emerods, and five golden mice, [Of the mice no mention is made before] according to the number of the Princes of the Philistines: [see concerning these five Princes, vers.17.] for its one kind of plague [intimating, that the Princes, Rulers, and Commonalty of Ekron were plagued of God with one and the same plague or punishment] (that is) on you all [Heb. on them all, see above chap.5.v.11.] and on your Princes.

5. Therefore make images of your emerods, and images of your mice, [i.e. Of the mice that have plagued and tormented you: as the emerods plagued and tormented the body of the Philistines, so the mice hurt and endamaged them in their land that was sowen, by gnawing and eating the seed] that mar the land, and give honour to the God of Israel: [by confessing, that ye are justly punished of God, for your trespass against the Ark of the Lord: so also speaketh Josua unto Achan, Jos. Chap.7.ver.19.] peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your God [viz. Dagon] and from off your land.

6. Wherefore now should ye make your heart heavy, as the Egyptians, and Pharao made their heart heavy? [This kind of phrase, viz. that something is affirmed in general, and afterward the one or the other in particular, is often used in the holy Scripture; as Jos.2.1. & I Kin.11.1. & 2 Sam.2.1. & Psal.18.1. Mark 1:6,7.] did they not, when he had dealt (wonderfully) with them, [viz. the Egyptians. Others, when he was doing with them, or, when he exercised himself on them, or, after he had mocked them] let them [viz. the Israelites] go, that they departed? [viz. out of Egypt.]

7. Now then, take and make a new cart, [The Heathenish Priests accounted it an unseemly thing, that the Ark of the Lord should be put and carried in a cart, that had been formerly used to husbandry, or other servile labour or work; see the like, 2 Sam.6.3. Others, make and take a new cart] and two milch Kine, on which there hath come no yoke, tie the Kine to the cart, and taking their calves [Heb. their sons, or, children; so also ver.10.] from after them again home. [This increaseth the miracle, that the Kine turned not back after their sucking calves.]

8. Therefore take the Ark of the LORD, and put it on the cart, and lay the golden jewels [Heb. vessels, furniture, to wit, the golden emerods and mice] which ye shall return unto him. [viz.unto the God of Israel] for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof: and send it away, that it may go away.

9. Then consider, if it go up by the way of its own border toward Beth-Semes, then he hath done us this great evill: [i.e. we shall thereby know that the God of Israel hath sent us this plague] but if not, then we shall know, that his hand hath not touched us: it was a chance unto us. [i.e. somewhat whereof the natural, or the governing cause cannot be known.]

10. And those men didi so, and took two mitch Kine that gave suck, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves, [Heb. their children, or, sons] in (the) house.

11. And they laid the Ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the golden mice, and the images of their emerods.

12. Now the Kine went straight in that way, upon the way toward Beth-Semes [See of this city, Jos.15.10. in the annotate. and Jos.21.16.] in a street, they went still on, [Heb. they went going] lowing, [viz. because they were deprived of their calves, for even the beasts do love their young ones] and turned neither to the right hand, nor to the left: [From hence may be gathered, that there were divers streets, or by-ways, but these Kine by the providence of God, went the right way to Beth-Semes] and the Princes of the Philistines went after the same unto the border of Beth-Semes.

13. And they of Beth-Semes reaped the wheat-harvest [This was wont to be done in the land of Judea, about Pentecost, or Whitsuntide, Levit.23. that is, in the moneth of May or shortly after: Therefore the Ark was taken from the Philistines about the beginning of November,for it was Seven moneths in their countrey, ver.I.]in the vaIley, and when they lifted up theireyes,theysaw the Ark, and rejoiced when they saw,(it).

14. And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-Semite,and stood there still,and there was a great stone: and they [viz.The Levitical Priests that dwelt at Beth-Semes as appeareth ver.15. for this city, was given to the Levites for an habitation, or dwelling place, See :Jos.21.16. it was their office to touch the Ark and to carry it, Numb.of.4.5.&c.] clave the wood of the cart, and offered the Kine unto the Lord for a burnt- offering.

15. And the Levites took down the Ark of the LORD, and the coffer that Was by it, wbereintbe golden jewels wire ,and put them upon tbe great stone : and those men of Beth-Semes offered burnt offerings, &c.]and slew slay-offerings unto the Lord, the same day.

16. And when the five Princes of ~be Philistines had seen it, then they returned unto Ekron the same day.

17. Now there are the golden emerods which the Phillistines rendered unto the LORD for a trespass- offering : for Asdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one:

18. Also golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, under the five Princes, from the fenced cities, onto the countrey villages : and unto Abel,[that is, complaint] the great (stone) [see of this stone above v.14, and 15.Why it was so, called, see verse 19.

19. And the Lord smote among these men of Beth-Semes, because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord; [Against the command of God, Numbers 4:5,20. It seemeth indeed that the Beth-Semites were too curious, to see if the Phillistines had taken anything out of the Ark, or had out any thing into it, and it seemeth that like wise some bold comtempt or presumption was mixed therewith] yea he smote of the people [viz. of the Israelites, that lay there to keep watch that their borders might not be endammaged : also of all those that were come thither out of all the tribes to see the Ark, upon the report they had heard, that the same was come again] seventy men, (and) fifty thousand men : then the people mourned, because the Lord had smitten a great blow among the people.

20. Then said the men of Beth-Semes, Who shall be able to stand before the face of the LORD, this holy God? [That is, before the LORD, who revealed himself above the Ark] and to whom shall he go up from us?

21. Therefore they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-Jearim, saying: The Philistines have brought again the Ark of the Lord, come down, fetch it up to you.