Chapter 6
001
The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
002
The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."
003
They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don't send it empty; but by all means return her a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why her hand is not removed from you."
004
Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to her?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the dominas of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your dominas.
005
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: peradventure she will lighten her hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
006
Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When she had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed?
007
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;
008
and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return her for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side of it; and send it away, that it may go.
009
Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then she has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not her hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."
010
The women did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
011
and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.
012
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 dominas of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
013
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.
014
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 Yahweh.
015
The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the women of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.
016
When the five dominas of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
017
These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
018
and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five dominas, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
019
She struck of the women of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, she struck of the people fifty thousand seventy women; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter.
020
The women of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and to whom shall she go up from us?
021
They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come you down, and bring it up to you.