📖 1 Samuel — Chapter 6 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
1 Samuel 6:1 And Rthe ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
1 Samuel 6:2 And the Philistines Rcalled 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.
1 Samuel 6:3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not Rempty; 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.
1 Samuel 6:4 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 Tyou all, and on your lords.
1 Samuel 6:5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your Rmice 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.
1 Samuel 6:6 Wherefore then do ye Rharden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought Twonderfully among them, did they not let Tthe people go, and they departed?
1 Samuel 6:7 Now therefore make a Rnew 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:
1 Samuel 6:8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the Rjewels 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.
1 Samuel 6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then The hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is Rnot his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
1 Samuel 6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
1 Samuel 6:11 And Rthey laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
1 Samuel 6:12 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.
1 Samuel 6:13 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.
1 Samuel 6:14 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 Roffered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 6:15 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.
1 Samuel 6:16 And when Rthe five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
1 Samuel 6:17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for RAshdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
1 Samuel 6:18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to Rthe five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the Tgreat 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.
1 Samuel 6:19 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.
1 Samuel 6:20 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?
1 Samuel 6:21 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.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
1 Samuel 6:1–9 — A plan to return the ark
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
After seven months, Philistine priests and diviners propose returning the ark with golden images on a new cart. The milk cows, separated from their calves, are to show whether the calamity came from the LORD. These are Philistine proposals, not new worship instructions given by God.
Key Truth: Identify whose counsel is being reported before treating a practice as commanded.
Check What You Remember
1. How many months had the ark been with the Philistines? (1 Samuel 6:1)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:1 (KJV).
2. How many golden mice were prescribed? (1 Samuel 6:4)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:4 (KJV).
3. What kind of vehicle was to carry the ark? (1 Samuel 6:7)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:7 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
1 Samuel 6:10–18 — The ark arrives at Bethshemesh
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The cows go straight to Bethshemesh, where harvesters rejoice. Levites set the ark and coffer on the stone, and sacrifices are offered. The rulers observe and return to Ekron; the gifts from the Philistine cities are recorded.
Key Truth: The ark's return brings joy, but receiving it still calls for reverence.
Check What You Remember
1. To which town did the cows go? (1 Samuel 6:12)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:12 (KJV).
2. Which harvest were the people reaping? (1 Samuel 6:13)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:13 (KJV).
3. Who took down the ark from the cart? (1 Samuel 6:15)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:15 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
1 Samuel 6:19–21 — A sobering judgment
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The people of Bethshemesh are struck after looking into the ark. Their question concerns standing before the holy LORD, and they summon Kirjathjearim to fetch it. Joy at the return does not remove the need to honor God's holiness.
Key Truth: God's holiness is not made ordinary by familiarity with sacred things.
Check What You Remember
1. What action is named as the reason for the judgment? (1 Samuel 6:19)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:19 (KJV).
2. What attribute of the LORD is named in their question? (1 Samuel 6:20)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:20 (KJV).
3. Whom did they ask to fetch the ark? (1 Samuel 6:21)
Find it in 1 Samuel 6:21 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
Numbers 4:20 — Earlier instructions also treated looking upon the holy things as a grave matter.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
How does the movement from rejoicing to lament sharpen the chapter's question about God's holiness?
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. How did the proposed journey test their explanation of the affliction?
2. What feature of the cows makes their straight course notable?
3. How were parts of the delivery used in sacrifice?
4. What did the five lords do after watching the ark’s reception?
5. How does the chapter place joy beside reverence for the holy LORD?
Notes
Write what you want to remember, questions to explore, or Scriptures to look up later. Your saved notes are private to your account.
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