1 Samuel 6:12

Contextual Overview

¹⁰The men did this: They took two milk cows, hitched them to the cart, and confined their calves in the pen. ¹⁰ The men did so, and took two milk cattle, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home; ¹⁰ And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: ¹⁰ So the men did so; they took two milking cows and harnessed them to the utility cart, but they shut up their calves in the stall. ¹⁰ The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. ¹⁰ The Philistines did what the priests and magicians said. They took two cows that had just had calves and hitched them to the cart, but they kept their calves at home. ¹⁰ So the men did as instructed. They took two cows that had calves and harnessed them to a cart; they also removed their calves to their stalls. ¹⁰And the men did so, and took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and corralled their calves at home. ¹⁰ Then the men did so: they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut in their calves at home. ¹⁰ And the men did so: for they tooke two kine that gaue milke, and tied them to the cart, and shut the calues at home.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Joshua 15:10 - Bethshemesh Joshua 21:16 - Bethshemesh 1 Samuel 6:16 - the five 2 Samuel 20:13 - the highway 1 Kings 4:9 - Bethshemesh 1 Chronicles 6:59 - Bethshemesh

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
It happened, when men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

Genesis 6:1
And it happened that, when humankind began to multiply on the face of the ground, daughters were born to them.

Genesis 6:1
The number of people on earth began to grow, and daughters were born to them.

Genesis 6:1
When humankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
Now it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
Now it came about, when mankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
So when men beganne to be multiplied vpon the earth, and there were daughters borne vnto them,

Genesis 6:1
Now it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings came down and married the ones they wanted.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh,.... Though they had none to drive, lead, or guide them, yet they steered their course to the road that led to Bethshemesh, though there were other ways they might have taken; which shows they were under the direction of God himself:

and went along the highway; or, "in one highway", or "post" t; though they had never been used to a yoke, they drew together in one path; and did not draw one way, and another another, as oxen unaccustomed to a yoke do:

lowing as they went; on account of their calves, which showed their sense of them, and their natural affection for them; and yet went on, did not attempt to go back to them; by which it was plain they were under a supernatural influence:

and turned not aside to the right or to the left; when other ways presented, on the right hand or on the left; they kept going straight on in the road that led to the place they were destined for; all which can be reckoned nothing less than a miracle:

and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh; not before them to guide them, or on the side of the ark to take care of it, but behind: and not at all out of respect and reverence to it, but to see what would be the issue of things, whether it would turn out an imposture or not; and that they might be able to make a true judgment of what had befallen them, as their priests and diviners had directed them to; they followed it until it was out of their territories, and in the hands of the Israelites. This place Bethshemesh is thought by some, as R. Isaiah observes, to be the same with Timnathheres, where Joshua was buried, in Judges 2:9, which signifies the figure of the sun, as this does the house of the sun; and where, perhaps, when inhabited by the Canaanites, was a temple of the sun; and it was, according to Bunting u, twelve miles from Ekron, from whence the ark came; and so far it was followed by the Philistines. This was a city given to the Levites, and so a proper place for the ark to come to be taken care of; hence mention is made of Levites that took it down from the cart, 1 Samuel 6:15,

1 Samuel 6:15- :.

t במסלה אחת "in via elata una", Montanus; "eadem semita", Tigurine version; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. u Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 123.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Lowing as they went - Milking cows had been chosen on purpose to make the sign more significant. Nature would obviously dispose the cows to go toward their calves; their going in an opposite direction was therefore plainly a divine impulse overruling their natural inclination. And this is brought out more distinctly by the mention of their lowing, which was caused by their remembering their calves.

And the lords ... - This circumstance of the five satraps of the Philistines accompanying the ark in person both made it impossible for the Israelites to practice any deceit (compare Matthew 27:63-66), and is also a striking testimony to the agitation caused among the Philistines by the plagues inflicted on them since the ark had been in their country.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 6:12. Lowing as they went — Calling for their calves.

To the right hand or to the left — Some think they were placed where two roads met; one going to Ekron, the other to Beth-shemesh. It is possible that they were put in such circumstances as these for the greater certainty of the affair: to have turned from their own homes, from their calves and known pasture, and to have taken the road to a strange country, must argue supernatural influence.

The lords of the Philistines went after — They were so jealous in this business that they would trust no eyes but their own. All this was wisely ordered, that there might be the fullest conviction of the being and interposition of God.