Ark Brought to Bethshemite I Samuel 6

I Samuel 6:1-2 "And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 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."

The priest in this case were, I believe, the priests of the Philistines' gods. I doubt the Philistines would have called Israel's priests. They wanted to know how to get the ark home and I am sure away from themselves because of the health problems they were smitten with and the deaths.

The advice they got was to put in golden emblems of the plagues which they did. Next they put the ark on a new cart (contrary to how it was suppose to be transported) pulled by kine (cows) that had not had a yoke before. The kines calves were put up and the kine turned loose to see if they would go straight to the home of the ark or turn aside.

v12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or the left: and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh."

The animals not being driven by anyone went back to Israel's side although the were 'lowing' perhaps for their calves, they still went straight.

The ark was a curse to the Philistines. Even their priests and diviners 'preached' to their leaders about going up against the God of Israel.

v6 "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?"

The story had gone far and wide so that Israel's enemies knew it.

Apparently, the Philistines had put the gold inside the ark and the people of Beth-shemesh looked inside which was not suppose to happen, so we have the penalty in this verse.

v19 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."

Neither did those men want the ark in their town after that and so it goes on the move again.

v21 "And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying. The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD: come ye down, and fetch it up to you."

Psalms 126:4-5 "As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

keywords: Ark of God, Ark of the LORD, Bible Study, Old Testament, Israel, Samuel, Philistines, Milton Southerland