¹ And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

² 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.

³ 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.

⁴ 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.

⁵ 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.

⁶ 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?

⁷ 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:

⁸ 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.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:

¹¹ 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.

¹² 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.

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ 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.

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ 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;

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ 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.

²⁰ 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?

²¹ 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.

---

¹ And the ark ^H727 of the LORD ^H3068 was in the country ^H7704 of the Philistines ^H6430 seven ^H7651 months. ^H2320

² And the Philistines ^H6430 called ^H7121 for the priests ^H3548 and the diviners, ^H7080 saying, ^H559 What shall we do ^H6213 to the ark ^H727 of the LORD? ^H3068 tell ^H3045 us wherewith we shall send ^H7971 it to his place. ^H4725

³ And they said, ^H559 If ye send away ^H7971 the ark ^H727 of the God ^H430 of Israel, ^H3478 send ^H7971 it not empty; ^H7387 but in any wise ^H7725 return ^H7725 him a trespass offering: ^H817 then ye shall be healed, ^H7495 and it shall be known ^H3045 to you why his hand ^H3027 is not removed ^H5493 from you.

⁴ Then said ^H559 they, What shall be the trespass offering ^H817 which we shall return ^H7725 to him? They answered, ^H559 Five ^H2568 golden ^H2091 emerods, ^{H2914 H6076} and five ^H2568 golden ^H2091 mice, ^H5909 according to the number ^H4557 of the lords ^H5633 of the Philistines: ^H6430 for one ^H259 plague ^H4046 was on you all, and on your lords. ^H5633

⁵ Wherefore ye shall make ^H6213 images ^H6754 of your emerods, ^{H2914 H6076} and images ^H6754 of your mice ^H5909 that mar ^H7843 the land; ^H776 and ye shall give ^H5414 glory ^H3519 unto the God ^H430 of Israel: ^H3478 peradventure he will lighten ^H7043 his hand ^H3027 from off you, and from off your gods, ^H430 and from off your land. ^H776

⁶ Wherefore then do ye harden ^H3513 your hearts, ^H3824 as the Egyptians ^H4714 and Pharaoh ^H6547 hardened ^H3513 their hearts? ^H3820 when he had wrought wonderfully ^H5953 among them, did they not let the people go, ^H7971 and they departed? ^H3212

⁷ Now therefore make ^H6213 a ^H259 new ^H2319 cart, ^H5699 and take ^H3947 two ^H8147 milch ^H5763 kine, ^H6510 on which there hath come ^H5927 no yoke, ^H5923 and tie ^H631 the kine ^H6510 to the cart, ^H5699 and bring ^H7725 their calves ^H1121 home ^H1004 from them: ^H310

⁸ And take ^H3947 the ark ^H727 of the LORD, ^H3068 and lay ^H5414 it upon the cart; ^H5699 and put ^H7760 the jewels ^H3627 of gold, ^H2091 which ye return ^H7725 him for a trespass offering, ^H817 in a coffer ^H712 by the side ^H6654 thereof; and send it away, ^H7971 that it may go. ^H1980

⁹ And see, ^H7200 if it goeth up ^H5927 by the way ^H1870 of his own coast ^H1366 to Bethshemesh, ^H1053 then he hath done ^H6213 us this great ^H1419 evil: ^H7451 but if not, then we shall know ^H3045 that it is not his hand ^H3027 that smote ^H5060 us: it was a chance ^H4745 that happened to us. ^H1961

¹⁰ And the men ^H582 did so; ^H6213 and took ^H3947 two ^H8147 milch ^H5763 kine, ^H6510 and tied ^H631 them to the cart, ^H5699 and shut up ^H3607 their calves ^H1121 at home: ^H1004

¹¹ And they laid ^H7760 the ark ^H727 of the LORD ^H3068 upon the cart, ^H5699 and the coffer ^H712 with the mice ^H5909 of gold ^H2091 and the images ^H6754 of their emerods. ^H2914

¹² And the kine ^H6510 took the straight ^H3474 way ^H1870 to the way ^H1870 of Bethshemesh, ^H1053 and went along ^H1980 the highway, ^{H4546 H259} lowing ^H1600 as they went, ^H1980 and turned not aside ^H5493 to the right hand ^H3225 or to the left; ^H8040 and the lords ^H5633 of the Philistines ^H6430 went ^H1980 after ^H310 them unto the border ^H1366 of Bethshemesh. ^H1053

¹³ And they of Bethshemesh ^H1053 were reaping ^H7114 their wheat ^H2406 harvest ^H7105 in the valley: ^H6010 and they lifted up ^H5375 their eyes, ^H5869 and saw ^H7200 the ark, ^H727 and rejoiced ^H8055 to see ^H7200 it.

¹⁴ And the cart ^H5699 came ^H935 into the field ^H7704 of Joshua, ^H3091 a Bethshemite, ^H1030 and stood ^H5975 there, where there was a great ^H1419 stone: ^H68 and they clave ^H1234 the wood ^H6086 of the cart, ^H5699 and offered ^H5927 the kine ^H6510 a burnt offering ^H5930 unto the LORD. ^H3068

¹⁵ And the Levites ^H3881 took down ^H3381 the ark ^H727 of the LORD, ^H3068 and the coffer ^H712 that was with it, wherein the jewels ^H3627 of gold ^H2091 were, and put ^H7760 them on the great ^H1419 stone: ^H68 and the men ^H582 of Bethshemesh ^H1053 offered ^H5927 burnt offerings ^H5930 and sacrificed ^H2076 sacrifices ^H2077 the same day ^H3117 unto the LORD. ^H3068

¹⁶ And when the five ^H2568 lords ^H5633 of the Philistines ^H6430 had seen ^H7200 it, they returned ^H7725 to Ekron ^H6138 the same day. ^H3117

¹⁷ And these are the golden ^H2091 emerods ^H2914 which the Philistines ^H6430 returned ^H7725 for a trespass offering ^H817 unto the LORD; ^H3068 for Ashdod ^H795 one, ^H259 for Gaza ^H5804 one, ^H259 for Askelon ^H831 one, ^H259 for Gath ^H1661 one, ^H259 for Ekron ^H6138 one; ^H259

¹⁸ And the golden ^H2091 mice, ^H5909 according to the number ^H4557 of all the cities ^H5892 of the Philistines ^H6430 belonging to the five ^H2568 lords, ^H5633 both of fenced ^H4013 cities, ^H5892 and of country ^H6521 villages, ^H3724 even unto the great ^H1419 stone of Abel, ^H59 whereon they set down ^H3240 the ark ^H727 of the LORD: ^H3068 which stone remaineth unto this day ^H3117 in the field ^H7704 of Joshua, ^H3091 the Bethshemite. ^H1030

¹⁹ And he smote ^H5221 the men ^H376 of Bethshemesh, ^H1053 because they had looked ^H7200 into the ark ^H727 of the LORD, ^H3068 even he smote ^H5221 of the people ^H5971 fifty ^H2572 thousand ^H505 and threescore and ten ^H7657 men: ^H582 and the people ^H5971 lamented, ^H56 because the LORD ^H3068 had smitten ^H5221 many of the people ^H5971 with a great ^H1419 slaughter. ^H4347

²⁰ And the men ^H582 of Bethshemesh ^H1053 said, ^H559 Who is able ^H3201 to stand ^H5975 before ^H6440 this holy ^H6918 LORD ^H3068 God? ^H430 and to whom shall he go up ^H5927 from us?

²¹ And they sent ^H7971 messengers ^H4397 to the inhabitants ^H3427 of Kirjathjearim, ^H7157 saying, ^H559 The Philistines ^H6430 have brought again ^H7725 the ark ^H727 of the LORD; ^H3068 come ye down, ^H3381 and fetch it up ^H5927 to you.

---

¹ And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

² And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall sent it to its place.

³ And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but by all means 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.

⁴ Then said they, What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to him? And they said, Five golden tumors, 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.

⁵ Wherefore ye shall make images of your tumors, 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.

⁶ 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?

⁷ Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke; and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;

⁸ and take the ark of Jehovah, 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.

⁹ And see; if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, 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.

¹⁰ And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;

¹¹ and they put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.

¹² And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they 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 Beth-shemesh.

¹³ And 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.

¹⁴ And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.

¹⁵ And the Levites took down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto Jehovah.

¹⁶ And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass-offering unto Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

¹⁸ and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, `which stone remaineth' unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.

¹⁹ And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Jehovah, he smote of the people seventy men, `and' fifty thousand men; and the people mourned, because Jehovah had smitten the people with a great slaughter.

²⁰ And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

²¹ And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Jehovah; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.

---

¹ And the ark of Jehovah is in the field of the Philistines seven months,

² and the Philistines call for priests and for diviners, saying, `What do we do to the ark of Jehovah? let us know wherewith we send it to its place?'

³ And they say, `If ye are sending away the ark of the God of Israel, ye do not send it away empty; for ye do certainly send back to Him a guilt-offering; then ye are healed, and it hath been known to you why His hand doth not turn aside from you.'

⁴ And they say, `What `is' the guilt-offering which we send back to Him?' and they say, `The number of the princes of the Philistines -- five golden emerods, and five golden mice -- for one plague `is' to you all, and to your princes,

⁵ and ye have made images of your emerods, and images of your mice that are corrupting the land, and have given honour to the God of Israel; it may be He doth lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land;

⁶ and why do ye harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? do they not -- when He hath rolled Himself upon them -- send them away, and they go?

⁷ `And now, take and make one new cart, and two suckling kine, on which a yoke hath not gone up, and ye have bound the kine in the cart, and caused their young ones to turn back from after them to the house,

⁸ and ye have taken the ark of Jehovah, and put it on the cart, and the vessels of gold which ye have returned to Him -- a guilt-offering -- ye put in a coffer on its side, and have sent it away, and it hath gone;

⁹ and ye have seen, if the way of its own border it goeth up to Beth-Shemesh -- He hath done to us this great evil; and if not, then we have known that His hand hath not come against us; an accident it hath been to us.'

¹⁰ And the men do so, and take two suckling kine, and bind them in the cart, and their young ones they have shut up in the house;

¹¹ and they place the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer, and the golden mice, and the images of their emerods.

¹² And the kine go straight in the way, on the way to Beth-Shemesh, in one highway they have gone, going and lowing, and have not turned aside right or left; and the princes of the Philistines are going after them unto the border of Beth-Shemesh.

¹³ And the Beth-Shemeshites are reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley, and they lift up their eyes, and see the ark, and rejoice to see `it'.

¹⁴ And the cart hath come in unto the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite, and standeth there, and there `is' a great stone, and they cleave the wood of the cart, and the kine they have caused to ascend -- a burnt-offering to Jehovah.

¹⁵ And the Levites have taken down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer which `is' with it, in which `are' the vessels of gold, and place `them' on the great stone; and the men of Beth-Shemesh have caused to ascend burnt-offerings and sacrifice sacrifices in that day to Jehovah;

¹⁶ and the five princes of the Philistines have seen `it', and turn back `to' Ekron, on that day.

¹⁷ And these `are' the golden emerods which the Philistines have sent back -- a guilt-offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

¹⁸ and the golden mice -- the number of all the cities of the Philistines -- for the five princes, from the fenced city even unto the hamlet of the villages, even unto the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah -- `are' unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite.

¹⁹ And He smiteth among the men of Beth-Shemesh, for they looked into the ark of Jehovah, yea, He smiteth among the people seventy men -- fifty chief men; and the people mourn, because Jehovah smote among the people -- a great smiting.

²⁰ And the men of Beth-Shemesh say, `Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? and unto whom doth He go up from us?'

²¹ And they send messengers unto the inhabitants of Kirjath-Jearim, saying, `The Philistines have sent back the ark of Jehovah; come down, take it up unto you.'

---

¹ And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

² And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place.

³ And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; ye must at any rate 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.

⁴ Then they said, What is the trespass-offering which we shall return to him? And they said, Five golden hemorrhoids, and five golden mice, the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague is upon them all, and upon your lords.

⁵ And ye shall make images of your hemorrhoids, and images of your mice that destroy the land, and give glory to the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

⁶ And why will ye harden your heart, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? When he had wrought mightily among them, did they not let them go, and they departed?

⁷ And now make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there has come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;

⁸ and take the ark of Jehovah, and lay it upon the cart, and the golden jewels, which ye return him as a trespass-offering, put in the coffer by the side thereof; and send it away that it may go.

⁹ And see, if it go up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, it is he who has done us this great evil; if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that touched us; it was a chance [that] happened to us.

¹⁰ And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.

¹¹ And they laid the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the golden mice and the images of their sores.

¹² And the kine went straight forward on the way to Beth-shemesh; they went by the one high way, lowing as they went; and they turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.

¹³ And [they of] Beth-shemesh were reaping the wheat-harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

¹⁴ And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite, and stood there; and a great stone was there. And they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine as a burnt-offering to Jehovah.

¹⁵ And the Levites took down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer that was with it, in which were the golden jewels, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered up burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Jehovah.

¹⁶ And the five lords of the Philistines saw [it], and returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ And these are the golden sores which the Philistines returned as a trespass-offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gazah one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

¹⁸ and the golden mice, [according to] the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and villages of the peasantry; [and they brought them] as far as the great [stone of] Abel, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, [which] is to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite.

¹⁹ And he smote among the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Jehovah, and smote of the people seventy men; and the people lamented, because Jehovah had smitten the people with a great slaughter.

²⁰ And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

²¹ And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of Jehovah; come down, fetch it up to you.

---

¹ The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

² 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."

³ They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don't send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass-offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."

⁴ Then they said, "What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, 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.

⁵ 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 he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

⁶ Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed?

⁷ Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cattle, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cattle to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;

⁸ and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side of it; and send it away, that it may go.

⁹ Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."

¹⁰ The men did so, and took two milk cattle, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;

¹¹ and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.

¹² The cattle 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 lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh.

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ The cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cattle for a burnt offering to Yahweh.

¹⁵ 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 men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.

¹⁶ When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ 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;

¹⁸ and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, 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 the Beth-shemite.

¹⁹ He struck of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter.

²⁰ The men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

²¹ 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.

---

¹ Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines for seven months.

² And the Philistines sent for the priests and those who were wise in secret arts, and said to them, What are we to do with the ark of the Lord? How are we to send it away to its place?

³ And they said, If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it without an offering, but send him a sin-offering with it: then you will have peace again, and it will be clear to you why the weight of his hand has not been lifted from you.

⁴ Then they said, What sin-offering are we to send to him? And they said, Five gold images of the growths caused by your disease and five gold mice, one for every lord of the Philistines: for the same disease came on you and on your lords.

⁵ So make images of the growths caused by your disease and of the mice which are damaging your land; and give glory to the God of Israel: it may be that the weight of his hand will be lifted from you and from your gods and from your land.

⁶ Why do you make your hearts hard, like the hearts of Pharaoh and the Egyptians? When he had made sport of them, did they not let the people go, and they went away?

⁷ So now, take and make ready a new cart, and two cows which have never come under the yoke, and have the cows yoked to the cart, and take their young ones away from them:

⁸ And put the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the gold images which you are sending as a sin-offering in a chest by its side; and send it away so that it may go.

⁹ If it goes by the land of Israel to Beth-shemesh, then this great evil is his work; but if not, then we may be certain that the evil was not his doing, but was the working of chance.

¹⁰ And the men did so; they took two cows, yoking them to the cart and shutting up their young ones in their living-place:

¹¹ And they put the ark of the Lord on the cart and the chest with the gold images.

¹² And the cows took the straight way, by the road to Beth-shemesh; they went by the highway, not turning to the right or to the left, and the sound of their voices was clear on the road; and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the edge of Beth-shemesh.

¹³ And the people of Beth-shemesh were cutting their grain in the valley, and lifting up their eyes they saw the ark and were full of joy when they saw it.

¹⁴ And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and came to a stop there by a great stone: and cutting up the wood of the cart they made a burned offering of the cows to the Lord.

¹⁵ Then the Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest in which were the gold images, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh made burned offerings and gave worship that day before the Lord.

¹⁶ And the five lords of the Philistines, having seen it, went back to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ Now these are the gold images which the Philistines sent as a sin-offering to the Lord; one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;

¹⁸ And the gold mice, one for every town of the Philistines, the property of the five lords, walled towns as well as country places: and the great stone where they put the ark of the Lord is still in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite to this day.

¹⁹ But the Lord sent destruction on seventy men of the people of Beth-shemesh for looking into the ark of the Lord; and great was the sorrow of the people for the destruction which the Lord had sent on them.

²⁰ And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to keep his place before the Lord, this holy God? and to whom may he go from us?

²¹ And they sent men to the people living in Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have sent back the ark of the Lord; come and take it up to your country.