1 Samuel 6:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it.

NIV: Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight.

NASB: Now the people of Beth-shemesh were gathering in their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced at seeing it.

CSB: The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they were overjoyed to see it.

NLT: The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed!

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

Seven months after it had been captured in battle (1 Samuel 4:10–11; 6:1), the ark of the Lord (Exodus 25:10–16) has returned to Israelite territory. The Philistines had transported the ark from one city to another, trying to escape the plague its proximity seemed to have brought on the people (1 Samuel 5). Finally, they loaded the ark onto a cart, hitched it to two untrained cows whose calves were shut up at home, and allowed the cows to take it where they would. If the cows went to Beth-shemesh, in Israelite territory, then the Philistines would know the plagues had been from God. Observed by the Philistine lords, the cows did, indeed, go to Beth-shemesh (1 Samuel 6:7–12).

This is May or June, and the people of the town are harvesting wheat in the Sorek Valley, an annual event that was a time of celebration. When they look up and see the cows approach with a cart, they recognize the ark of the Lord and rejoicing erupts all around.

It's clear that everyone knew the Philistines had captured the ark. It would have been experienced as a national tragedy, along with the defeat in battle that cost more than thirty thousand Israelite lives (1 Samuel 4:10). The sons of Eli, the priest of Israel, were killed, as well (1 Samuel 4:11). When the news got out that Eli had also died, most Israelites likely agreed with the final words of Eli's daughter-in-law: that the glory had departed from Israel because the ark of the Lord had been captured (1 Samuel 4:20–22).

Now, mysteriously, it was back. Perhaps the Lord would be with Israel once more.

First Samuel 6:1–18 describes the Philistine plan to send the ark of the Lord back to Israel. They hope to stop the plague and panic with which God d afflicted them (1 Samuel 5). At the advice of their priests and diviners, the Philistines place the ark and a guilt offering of five golden mice and five golden tumors on a new cart pulled by two milk cows. The cows head straight for the Israelite town of Beth-shemesh. There, the rejoicing people offer the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. The Levites living in the town place the ark and the golden images on a large rock. The lords of the Philistines see the sacrifice and return to Ekron.

The Philistine religious leaders advise the five lords of the Philistines to send the ark of the Lord back to Israel with a guilt offering to stop the plague of tumors ravishing their land (1 Samuel 5:6–12). The Philistines place the ark along with five golden mice (or five golden tumors and five golden mice) on a new cart hitched to two untrained milk cows whose calves are shut up at home. The cows head straight for the Israelite border town of Beth-shemesh. There, the people rejoice and offer the cows before the ark as a burnt offering to the Lord. The Lord kills seventy men of the town because the people looked at the ark. Frightened, the people send to Kiriath-jearim and ask them to take the ark.

First Samuel 6 finds most of the Philistines convinced that the plague and panic (1 Samuel 5:6–12) are from the Lord. They place the ark of the Lord and a guilt offering of golden mice on a cart pulled by two milk cows. The cows pull the ark straight to the Israelite town of Beth-shemesh, where the rejoicing people offer the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord before the ark. The Lord kills seventy men of the town for looking at (or in) the ark. The people of Beth-shemesh send word to those in another town to take the ark away.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.