The Ark's Return to Israel
1 Samuel 6
After seven months among the Philistines, their priests advise sending the ark back with a guilt offering of golden images on a new cart drawn by two cows, which go straight to Bæthsamys; the men of Bæthsamys offer sacrifices but many are struck down for looking into the ark, so they send to the men of Cariathiarim to take it away.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonWHEN the ark had been in the country of the Philistines seven months, and the land poured forth swarms of mice, the
BrentonAnd the ark was seven months in the country of the Philistines, and their land brought forth swarms of mice.
GreekΚαὶ ἦν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν ἀγρῷ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἑπτὰ μῆνας, καὶ ἐξέζεσεν ἡ γῆ αὐτῶν μύας.
KJVAnd the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
JPSAnd the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2
ThomsonPhilistines then called for their priests, and their diviners, and their sorcerers, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we shall send it to its place.
BrentonAnd the Philistines call their priests, and their prophets, and their enchanters, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? teach us wherewith we shall send it away to its place.
GreekΚαὶ καλοῦσιν ἀλλόφυλοι τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τοὺς μάντεις καὶ τοὺς ἐπαοιδοὺς αὐτῶν, λέγοντες, τί ποιήσωμεν τῇ κιβωτῷ Κυρίου; γνωρίσατε ἡμῖν ἐν τίνι ἀποστελοῦμεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying: ‘What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? declare unto us wherewith we shall send it to its place.’
3
ThomsonWhereupon they said, If you send away the ark of the covenant of the Lord God of Israel, you must not send it away empty, but make some atonement for the injury done it, and then you shall be healed, and He will be appeased with you: otherwise His hand will not be removed from you.
BrentonAnd they said, If ye send away the ark of the covenant of the Lord God of Israel, do not on any account send it away empty, but by all means render to it an offering for the plague; and then shall ye be healed, and an atonement shall be made for you: should not his hand be thus stayed from off you?
GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν, εἰ ἐξαποστέλλετε ὑμεῖς τὴν κιβωτὸν διαθήκης Κυρίου Θεοῦ Ἰσραήλ, μὴ δὴ ἐξαποστείλητε αὐτὴν κενήν, ἀλλὰ ἀποδιδόντες ἀπόδοτε αὐτῇ τῆς βασάνου, καὶ τότε ἰαθήσεσθε, καὶ ἐξιλασθήσεται ὑμῖν· μὴ οὐκ ἀποστῇ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἀφʼ ὑμῶν;
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd they said: ‘If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return Him a guilt-offering; then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.’
4
ThomsonAnd they said, What atonement shall we make to it?
BrentonAnd they say, What is the offering for the plague which we shall return to it? and they said,
GreekΚαὶ λέγουσι, τί τὸ τῆς βασάνου ἀποδώσομεν αὐτῇ; καὶ εἶπαν, κατα ἀριθμὸν τῶν σατραπῶν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων πέντε ἕδρας χρυσᾶς, ὅτι πταῖσμα ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ὑμῶν καὶ τῷ λαῷ,
KJVThen 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.
JPSThen said they: ‘What shall be the guilt-offering which we shall return to Him?’ And they said: ‘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
ThomsonTo which they replied, According to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five golden stools; for this is correspondent to the plague among you, both among your chiefs and people; and golden mice, as a semblance of those mice of yours, which destroy the land. And you shall give glory to the Lord, that He may remove His hand from you, and from your gods, and from your land.
BrentonAccording to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five golden emerods, for the plague was on you, and on your rulers, and on the people; and golden mice, the likeness of the mice that destroy your land: and ye shall give glory to the Lord, that he may lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
Greekκαὶ μῦς χρυσοῦς ὁμοίωμα τῶν μυῶν ὑμῶν τῶν διαφθειρόντων τὴν γῆν· καὶ δώσετε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν, ὅπως κουφίσῃ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἀφʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν θεῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ὑμῶν.
KJVWherefore 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.
JPSWherefore 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
ThomsonNow why do you continue obstinate, as Egypt and Pharao did? Did they not when He had insulted them, send the people away, and they departed?
BrentonAnd why do ye harden your hearts, as Egypt and Pharao hardened their hearts? was it not so when he mocked them, that they let the people go, and they departed?
GreekΚαὶ ἱνατί βαρύνετε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐβάρυνεν Αἴγυπτος καὶ Φαραὼ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν; οὐχὶ ὅτε ἐνέπαιξεν αὐτοῖς, ἐξαπέστειλαν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀπῆλθον;
KJVWherefore 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?
JPSWherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when He had wrought among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
7
ThomsonNow therefore, take and provide a new cart, and two heifers lately calved, without their young, and yoke the heifers to the cart, and bring home their calves from them.
BrentonAnd now take wood and make a new waggon, and take two cows, that have calved for the first time, without their calves; and do ye yoke the cows to the waggon, and lead away the calves from behind them home.
GreekΚαὶ νῦν λάβετε καὶ ποιήσατε ἅμαξαν καινὴν, καὶ δύο βόας πρωτοτοκούσας ἄνευ τῶν τέκνων· καὶ ζεύξατε τὰς βόας ἐν τῇ ἁμάξῃ, καὶ ἀπαγάγετε τὰ τὲκνα ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν αὐτῶν εἰς οἴκον.
KJVNow 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:
JPSNow 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
ThomsonThen take the ark, and put it in the cart, with the jewels of gold which you shall give for an atonement, and lay them on a bed, Bersechthan, by its side, and send it away.
BrentonAnd ye shall take the ark and put it on the waggon; and ye shall restore to it the golden articles for the trespass-offering in a coffer by the side of it: and ye shall let it go, and send it away, and ye shall depart.
GreekΚαὶ λήψεσθε τὴν κιβωτὸν, καὶ θήσετε αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τὴν ἅμαξαν, καὶ τὰ σκεύη τὰ χρυσᾶ ἀποδώσετε αὐτῇ τῆς βασάνου, καὶ θήσετε ἐν θέματι βερσεχθὰν ἐκ μέρους αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐξαποστελεῖτε αὐτὴν, καὶ ἀπελάσατε αὐτήν, καὶ ἀπελεύσεσθε.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return Him for a guilt-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
9
ThomsonAnd when you have driven it off, you shall quit it, and look. If it taketh the road to its own borders, leading by Baithsamus, then hath He done us this great evil; but if not, we shall then know that His hand hath not touched us, but that this is a casualty which hath befallen us.
BrentonAnd ye shall see, if it shall go the way of its coasts along by Bæthsamys, he has brought upon us this great affliction; and if not, then shall we know that his hand has not touched us, but this is a chance which has happened to us.
GreekΚαὶ ὄψεσθε, εἰ ὁδὸν ὁρίων αὐτῆς πορεύσεται μετὰ Βαιθσαμὺς, αὐτὸς πεποίηκεν ἡμῖν τὴν κακίαν τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην· καὶ ἐὰν μὴ, καὶ γνωσόμεθα ὅτι οὐ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἧπται ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ σύμπτωμα τοῦτο γέγονεν ἡμῖν.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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
ThomsonAccordingly the Philistines did so. They took two heifers which had lately calved, and yoked them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
BrentonAnd the Philistines did so; and they took two cows that had calved for the first time, and yoked them to the waggon, and shut up their calves at home.
GreekΚαὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι οὕτω· καὶ ἔλαβον δύο βόας πρωτοτοκούσας, καὶ ἔζευξαν αὐτὰς ἐν τῇ ἁμάξῃ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἀπεκώλυσαν εἰς οἶκον·
KJVAnd the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
JPSAnd the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.
11
Thomsonand laid the ark of the Lord in the cart, with the bed Ergab, and the golden mice.
BrentonAnd they set the ark of the Lord, and the coffer, and the golden mice, on the waggon.
GreekΚαὶ ἔθεντο τὴν κιβωτὸν Κυρίου ἐπὶ τὴν ἅμαξαν, καὶ τὸ θέμα ἐργὰβ καὶ τοὺς μῦς τοὺς χρυσοῦς.
KJVAnd they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
JPSAnd they put the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
12
ThomsonAnd the cows took the straight road to the highway leading to Baithsamus, and proceeded on in one track, and though fatigued, they turned not aside to the right, nor to the left. And the lords of the Philistines followed it to the borders of Baithsamus.
BrentonAnd the cows went straight on the way to the way of Bæthsamys, they went along one track; and laboured, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after it as far as the coasts of Bæthsamys.
GreekΚαὶ κατεύθυναν αἱ βόες ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἰς ὁδὸν Βαιθσαμὺς, ἐν τρίβῳ ἐνὶ ἐπορεύοντο καὶ ἐκοπίων, καὶ οὐ μεθίσταντο δεξιὰ οὐδὲ ἀριστερά· καὶ οἱ σατράπαι τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐπορεύοντο ὀπίσω αὐτῆς ἕως ὁρίων Βαιθσαμύς.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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
ThomsonNow the people of Baithsamus were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and when they raised their eyes, and saw the ark of the Lord, they rejoiced at meeting it.
BrentonAnd the men of Bæthsamys were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark of the Lord, and rejoiced to meet it.
GreekΚαὶ οἱ ἐν Βαιθσαμὺς ἐθέριζον θερισμὸν πυρῶν ἐν κοιλάδι· καὶ ᾖραν ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶδον κιβωτὸν Κυρίου, καὶ ηὐφράνθησαν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῆς.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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
ThomsonSo when the cart came into the field of Osea of Baithsamus, they set up there a great stone near it. Then cutting to pieces the wood of the cart, they offered the cows as a whole burnt offering to the Lord.
BrentonAnd the waggon entered into the field of Osee, which was in Bæthsamys, and they set there by it a great stone; and they split the wood of the waggon, and offered up the cows for a whole-burnt-offering to the Lord.
GreekΚαὶ ἡ ἅμαξα εἰσῆλθεν εἰς ἀγρὸν Ὠσῆὲ τὸν ἐν Βαιθσαμὺς, καὶ ἔστησαν ἐκεῖ παρʼ αὐτῇ λίθον μέγαν· καὶ σχίζουσι τὰ ξύλα τῆς ἁμάξης, καὶ τὰς βόας ἀνήνεγκαν εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ κυρίῳ.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone; and they cleaved the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine for a burnt-offering unto the LORD.
15
ThomsonThen the Levites took up the ark of the Lord, and the bed Ergab with it, and the jewels of gold which were by it, and laid them on the great stone. And the men of Baithsamus offered whole burnt offerings, and sacrifices, that day to the Lord.
BrentonAnd the Levites brought up the ark of the Lord, and the coffer with it, and the golden articles upon it, and placed them on the great stone, and the men of Bæthsamys offered whole-burnt-offerings and meat-offerings on that day to the Lord.
GreekΚαὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἀνήνεγκαν τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ τὸ θέμα ἐργὰβ μετʼ αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ἐπʼ αὐτῆς σκεύη τὰ χρυσᾶ, καὶ ἔθεντο ἐπὶ τοῦ λίθου τοῦ μεγάλου· καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες Βαιθσαμὺς ἀνήνεγκαν ὁλοκαυτώσεις καὶ θυσίας ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῷ Κυρίῳ.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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 Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.
16
ThomsonAnd when the five lords of the Philistines saw this, they returned to Ascalon the same day.
BrentonAnd the five lords of the Philistines saw, and returned to Ascalon in that day.
GreekΚαὶ οἱ πέντε σατράπαι τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἑώρων, καὶ ἀνέστρεψαν εἰς Ἀσκάλωνα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.
KJVAnd when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
JPSAnd when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17
ThomsonNow these were the golden stools which the Philistines gave for an atonement to the Lord—one for Azotus, one for Gaza, one for Ascalon, one for Gath, and one for Akkaron.
BrentonAnd these are the golden emerods which the lords of the Philistines gave as a trespass-offering to the Lord; for Azotus one, for Gaza one, for Ascalon one, for Geth one, for Accaron one.
GreekΚαὶ αὗται αἱ ἕδραι αἱ χρυσαῖ, ἃς ἀπέδωκαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι τῆς βασάνου τῷ Κυρίῳ· τῆς Ἀζώτου μίαν, τῆς Γάζης μίαν, τῆς Ἀσκάλωνος μίαν, τῆς Γὲθ μίαν, τῆς Ἀκκαρὼν μίαν.
KJVAnd 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;
JPSAnd these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a guilt-offering unto the LORD: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18
ThomsonAnd the golden mice were according to the number of all the cities which belonged to the five lords of the Philistines, from the fenced city to the village of the Pherezites, and to the great stone, on which they had laid the ark of the Lord, and which is in the field of Osea, the Baithsamite.
BrentonAnd the golden mice according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, belonging to the five lords, from the fenced city to the village of the Pherezite, and to the great stone, on which they placed the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that was in the field of Osee the Bæthsamysite.
GreekΚαὶ μῦς οἱ χρυσοῖ κατʼ ἀριθμὸν πασῶν πόλεων τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τῶν πέντε σατραπῶν ἐκ πόλεως ἐστερεωμένης καὶ ἕως κώμης τοῦ Φερεζαίου, καὶ ἕως λίθου τοῦ μεγάλου, οὗ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ τὴν κιβωτὸν διαθήκης Κυρίου, τοῦ ἐν ἀγρῷ Ὠσηὲ τοῦ Βαιθσαμυσίτου.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSand 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 Abel by the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD, which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
19
ThomsonBut among the men of Baithsamus, the sons of Jechonias did not receive it with joy—because they looked into the ark of the Lord, therefore He smote among them seventy men, including fifty of the men’s thousand. Thereupon the people mourned, because the Lord had inflicted a very great blow on that community;
BrentonAnd the sons of Jechonias were not pleased with the men of Bæthsamys, because they saw the ark of the Lord; and the Lord smote among them seventy men, and fifty thousand men: and the people mourned, because the Lord had inflicted on the people a very great plague.
GreekΚαὶ οὐκ ἠσμένισαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰεχονίου ἐν τοῖς ἀνδράσι Βαιθσαμὺς, ὅτι εἶδαν κιβωτὸν Κυρίου· καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας, καὶ πεντήκοντα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν· καὶ ἐπένθησεν ὁ λαός, ὅτι ἐπάταξε Κύριος ἐν τῷ λαῷ πληγὴν μεγάλην σφόδρα.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd He smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had gazed upon the ark of the LORD, even He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand men; and the people amourned, because the LORD had smitten the people with a great slaughter.
20
Thomsonand the men of Baithsamus said, Who will be able to pass by before the Lord, the holy God? And, To whom shall the ark of the Lord go up from us?
BrentonAnd the men of Bæthsamys said, Who shall be able to pass before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall the ark of the Lord go up from us?
GreekΚαὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ ἐκ Βαιθσαμὺς, τίς δυνήσεται διελθεῖν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἁγίου τούτου; καὶ πρὸς τίνα ἀναβήσεται κιβωτὸς Κυρίου ἀφʼ ἡμῶν;
KJVAnd the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
JPSAnd the men of Beth-shemesh said: ‘Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? and to whom shall it go up from us?’
21
ThomsonThen they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kariathiarim, saying, The Philistines have sent back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up with you.
BrentonAnd they send messengers to the inhabitants of Cariathiarim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord, go down and take it home to yourselves.
GreekΚαὶ ἀποστέλλουσιν ἀγγέλους πρὸς τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Καριαθιαρεὶμ, λέγοντες, ἀπεστρόφασιν ἀλλόφυλοι τὴν κιβωτὸν Κυρίου, κατάβητε καὶ ἀναγάγετε αὐτὴν πρὸς ἑαυτούς.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying: ‘The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.’