1 Samuel 6

And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

For seven long months, the sacred ark of the LORD resided, lost and alone, in the land of the Philistines.

And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

In a state of desperation, the Philistines sought guidance from their priests and seers. They pleaded, "How should we return the Lord's ark? Guide us to restore it to its rightful place."

And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

They said, "Don't send God's ark away empty-handed. Give a gift to make amends. Then, you'll be healed and understand why His hand still rests on you."

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 of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

They asked, "What should we offer as an apology?" The response was, "Five golden sores and five golden mice, equal to the number of your leaders. This is because the same disaster struck everyone, including your leaders."

Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

So make images of your tumors and of the mice that are ruining your land, and honor the God of Israel with them. Perhaps He will lift His heavy hand from you, from your gods and from your land.

Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

Why do you stubbornly close your hearts, just like the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? Even after witnessing amazing miracles, didn't they finally release the people who then left?

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:

So, create a fresh cart, and get two unyoked dairy cows. Attach the cows to the cart, and gently lead their calves back home.

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

Gently place the Lord's ark on the cart, alongside the golden jewels you're giving back as an apology. Let it go, let it journey forth.

And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, 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.

If it heads towards Bethshemesh, then indeed, he has caused us this immense pain. But if it doesn't, we'll realize it wasn't his doing that hurt us; it was just an unfortunate event.

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

The men dutifully followed the instructions. They selected two milk-giving cows, tethered them to the cart, and shut their young ones up at home.

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

They gently placed the Lord's sacred ark on the cart, alongside the golden chest containing the golden mice and representations of their afflictions.

And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

The cows headed directly towards Bethshemesh, mooing as they journeyed down the main road. They didn't stray to the right or left, and the Philistine leaders followed them to the edge of Bethshemesh.

And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

The people of Bethshemesh were busy harvesting wheat in the valley. Suddenly, they spotted the ark. Their hearts filled with joy at the sight of it.

And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, 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 the LORD.

The wagon arrived at Joshua's field in Bethshemesh, halting near a massive stone. They split the wagon's wood and, with deep reverence, offered the cows as a burnt sacrifice to God.

And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.

The Levites carefully moved the Lord's ark and its accompanying chest, filled with golden treasures, placing them reverently on a large stone. That day, the people of Bethshemesh expressed their devotion to the Lord, offering sacrifices and performing rituals with deep reverence and solemnity.

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

When the five Philistine leaders had seen it, they returned to Ekron that same day.

And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

These are the precious golden tokens the Philistines gave back to God as an apology for their wrongs. One each from Ashdod, Gaza, Askelon, Gath, and Ekron.

And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.

The number of golden mice matched all the Philistine cities ruled by the five lords, both fortified cities and rural villages. And the great stone of Abel, where they set down the Lord's ark, still stands today in the field of Joshua of Bethshemesh.

And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

In a fit of divine wrath, He struck down the men of Bethshemesh for daring to look inside the sacred ark of the Lord. A staggering fifty thousand and seventy men fell, their lives extinguished. The people wept bitterly, mourning the immense loss inflicted by the Lord's fierce judgment.

And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

The people of Bethshemesh asked, "Who can stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom should He go from here?"

And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.

They reached out to the people of Kirjathjearim, their voices trembling with urgency, "The Philistines have returned the Lord's Ark! Please, come quickly and bring it home."