6:1 The Ark of the LORD remained in Philistine territory seven months in all.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 1 , The Ark of the LORD remained in Philistine territory seven months in all.
6:2 Then the Philistines called in their priests and diviners and asked them, 'What should we do about the Ark of the LORD? Tell us how to return it to its own land.'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 2 , Then the Philistines called in their priests and diviners and asked them, 'What should we do about the Ark of the LORD? Tell us how to return it to its own land.'
6:3 'Send the Ark of the God of Israel back, along with a gift,' they were told. 'Send a guilt offering so the plague will stop. Then, if the plague doesn't stop, you will know that God didn't send the plague after all.'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 3 , 'Send the Ark of the God of Israel back, along with a gift,' they were told. 'Send a guilt offering so the plague will stop. Then, if the plague doesn't stop, you will know that God didn't send the plague after all.'
6:4 'What sort of guilt offering should we send?' they asked. And they were told, 'Since the plague has struck both you and your five rulers, make five gold tumors and five gold rats, just like those that have ravaged your land.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 4 , 'What sort of guilt offering should we send?' they asked. And they were told, 'Since the plague has struck both you and your five rulers, make five gold tumors and five gold rats, just like those that have ravaged your land.
6:5 Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 5 , Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land.
6:6 Don't be stubborn and rebellious as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were. They wouldn't let Israel go until God had ravaged them with dreadful plagues.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 6 , Don't be stubborn and rebellious as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were. They wouldn't let Israel go until God had ravaged them with dreadful plagues.
6:7 Now build a new cart, and find two cows that have just had calves. Make sure the cows have never been yoked to a cart. Hitch the cows to the cart, but shut their calves away from them in a pen.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 7 , Now build a new cart, and find two cows that have just had calves. Make sure the cows have never been yoked to a cart. Hitch the cows to the cart, but shut their calves away from them in a pen.
6:8 Put the Ark of the LORD on the cart, and beside it place a chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors. Then let the cows go wherever they want.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 8 , Put the Ark of the LORD on the cart, and beside it place a chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors. Then let the cows go wherever they want.
6:9 If they cross the border of our land and go to Beth-shemesh, we will know it was the LORD who brought this great disaster upon us. If they don't, we will know that the plague was simply a coincidence and was not sent by the LORD at all.'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 9 , If they cross the border of our land and go to Beth-shemesh, we will know it was the LORD who brought this great disaster upon us. If they don't, we will know that the plague was simply a coincidence and was not sent by the LORD at all.'
6:10 So these instructions were carried out. Two cows with newborn calves were hitched to the cart, and their calves were shut up in a pen.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 10 , So these instructions were carried out. Two cows with newborn calves were hitched to the cart, and their calves were shut up in a pen.
6:11 Then the Ark of the LORD and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 11 , Then the Ark of the LORD and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart.
6:12 And sure enough, the cows went straight along the road toward Beth-shemesh, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 12 , And sure enough, the cows went straight along the road toward Beth-shemesh, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.
6:13 The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed!
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 13 , The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed!
6:14 The cart came into the field of a man named Joshua and stopped beside a large rock. So the people broke up the wood of the cart for a fire and killed the cows and sacrificed them to the LORD as a burnt offering.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 14 , The cart came into the field of a man named Joshua and stopped beside a large rock. So the people broke up the wood of the cart for a fire and killed the cows and sacrificed them to the LORD as a burnt offering.
6:15 Several men of the tribe of Levi lifted the Ark of the LORD and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors from the cart and placed them on the large rock. Many burnt offerings and sacrifices were offered to the LORD that day by the people of Beth-shemesh.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 15 , Several men of the tribe of Levi lifted the Ark of the LORD and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors from the cart and placed them on the large rock. Many burnt offerings and sacrifices were offered to the LORD that day by the people of Beth-shemesh.
6:16 The five Philistine rulers watched all this and then returned to Ekron that same day.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 16 , The five Philistine rulers watched all this and then returned to Ekron that same day.
6:17 The five gold tumors that were sent by the Philistines as a guilt offering to the LORD were gifts from the rulers of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 17 , The five gold tumors that were sent by the Philistines as a guilt offering to the LORD were gifts from the rulers of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
6:18 The five gold rats represented the five Philistine cities and their surrounding villages, which were controlled by the five rulers. The large rock at Beth-shemesh, where they set the Ark of the LORD, still stands in the field of Joshua as a reminder of what happened there.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 18 , The five gold rats represented the five Philistine cities and their surrounding villages, which were controlled by the five rulers. The large rock at Beth-shemesh, where they set the Ark of the LORD, still stands in the field of Joshua as a reminder of what happened there.
6:19 But the LORD killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the LORD. And the people mourned greatly because of what the LORD had done.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 19 , But the LORD killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the LORD. And the people mourned greatly because of what the LORD had done.
6:20 'Who is able to stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?' they cried out. 'Where can we send the Ark from here?'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 20 , 'Who is able to stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?' they cried out. 'Where can we send the Ark from here?'
6:21 So they sent messengers to the people at Kiriath-jearim and told them, 'The Philistines have returned the Ark of the LORD. Please come here and get it!'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 6 , Verse 21 , So they sent messengers to the people at Kiriath-jearim and told them, 'The Philistines have returned the Ark of the LORD. Please come here and get it!'
