1 Samuel 6

The Ark Returned to Israel

1The ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2And the Philistines called for the priests and athe diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place.” 3They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him ba guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why chis hand does not turn away from you.” 4And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden dtumors and five golden mice, eaccording to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5So you must make images of your ftumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, gand give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps hhe will lighten his hand from off you iand your gods and your land. 6Why should you harden your hearts as jthe Egyptians and kPharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, ldid they not send the people away, and they departed? 7Now then, take and prepare ma new cart and two milk cows non which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. 8And take the ark of the Lord and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side othe figures of gold, which you are returning to him as pa guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way 9and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to qBeth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not rhis hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.”

10The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. 11And they put the ark of the Lord on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors. 12And the cows went straight in the direction of sBeth-shemesh along tone highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of uBeth-shemesh. 13Now the people of vBeth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it. 14The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there. wA great stone was there. And they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. 15And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon xthe great stone. And the men of yBeth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the Lord. 16And when zthe five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.

17These are the golden tumors that the Philistines returned as a aaguilt offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron, 18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, abboth fortified cities and unwalled villages. acThe great stone beside which they set down the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.

19 adAnd he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them,
Most Hebrew manuscripts  struck of the people seventy men, fifty thousand men
and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow.
20Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, afWho is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” 21So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of agKiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to you.”

1 Samuel 11

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

1 ahThen Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged aiJabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, ajMake a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, akthat I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus albring disgrace on all Israel.” 3The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven daysrespite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” 4When the messengers came to amGibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, anand all the people wept aloud.

5Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh. 6 aoAnd the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. 7He took a yoke of oxen apand cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, aqWhoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out aras one man. 8When he mustered them at asBezek, atthe people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have ausalvation.’” When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. 10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, avTomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 awAnd the next day Saul put the people axin three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

The Kingdom Is Renewed

12Then the people said to Samuel, ayWho is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ azBring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13But Saul said, baNot a man shall be put to death this day, for today bbthe Lord has worked bcsalvation in Israel.” 14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” 15So all the people went to bdGilgal, and there they made Saul king bebefore the Lord in Gilgal. There bfthey sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

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