1 Samuel 6

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW JERUSALEM
1 The ark of Yahweh was in Philistine territory for seven months.	1 The ark of Yahweh was in Philistine territory for seven months.
2 The Philistines then cal ed for their priests and diviners and asked, 'What shall we do with the ark ofYahweh? Tel us how to send it back to where it belongs.'	2 The Philistines then cal ed for their priests and diviners and asked, 'What shall we do with the ark ofYahweh? Tel us how to send it back to where it belongs.'
3 They replied, 'If you send the ark of the God of Israel away, you must certainly not send it away withouta gift; you must pay him a guilt offering. You wil then recover and wil realise why he continual y oppressed you.'	3 They replied, 'If you send the ark of the God of Israel away, you must certainly not send it away withouta gift; you must pay him a guilt offering. You wil then recover and wil realise why he continual y oppressed you.'
4 They then asked, 'What guilt offering ought we to pay him?' They replied, 'Corresponding to the numberof Philistine chiefs: five golden tumours and five golden rats, since the same plague afflicted your chiefs as therest of you.	4 They then asked, 'What guilt offering ought we to pay him?' They replied, 'Corresponding to the numberof Philistine chiefs: five golden tumours and five golden rats, since the same plague afflicted your chiefs as therest of you.
5 So make models of your tumours and models of your rats ravaging the territory, and pay honour to theGod of Israel. Then perhaps he wil stop oppressing you, your gods and your country.	5 So make models of your tumours and models of your rats ravaging the territory, and pay honour to theGod of Israel. Then perhaps he wil stop oppressing you, your gods and your country.
6 Why should you be as stubborn as Egypt and Pharaoh were? After he had brought disasters on them,did they not let the people leave?	6 Why should you be as stubborn as Egypt and Pharaoh were? After he had brought disasters on them,did they not let the people leave?
7 Now, then, take and fit out a new cart, and two milch cows that have never borne the yoke. Thenharness the cows to the cart and take their calves back to the byre.	7 Now, then, take and fit out a new cart, and two milch cows that have never borne the yoke. Thenharness the cows to the cart and take their calves back to the byre.
8 Then take the ark of Yahweh, place it on the cart, and put the golden objects which you are paying himas guilt offering in a box beside it; and then send it off on its own.	8 Then take the ark of Yahweh, place it on the cart, and put the golden objects which you are paying himas guilt offering in a box beside it; and then send it off on its own.
9 Watch it; if it goes up the road to its own territory, towards Beth-Shemesh, then he was responsible forthis great harm to us; but if not, we shal know that it was not his hand that struck us, and that this has happenedto us by chance.'	9 Watch it; if it goes up the road to its own territory, towards Beth-Shemesh, then he was responsible forthis great harm to us; but if not, we shal know that it was not his hand that struck us, and that this has happenedto us by chance.'
10 The people did this. They took two milch cows and harnessed them to the cart, shutting their calves inthe byre.	10 The people did this. They took two milch cows and harnessed them to the cart, shutting their calves inthe byre.
11 They then put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, with the box and the golden rats and the models of theirtumours.	11 They then put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, with the box and the golden rats and the models of theirtumours.
12 The cows made straight for Beth-Shemesh, keeping to the one road, lowing as they went and turningneither to right nor to left. The Philistine chiefs followed them as far as the boundaries of Beth-Shemesh.	12 The cows made straight for Beth-Shemesh, keeping to the one road, lowing as they went and turningneither to right nor to left. The Philistine chiefs followed them as far as the boundaries of Beth-Shemesh.
13 The people of Beth-Shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the plain when they looked up andsaw the ark and went joyful y to meet it.	13 The people of Beth-Shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the plain when they looked up andsaw the ark and went joyful y to meet it.
14 When the cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth-Shemesh, it stopped. There was a large stonethere, and they cut up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to Yahweh.	14 When the cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth-Shemesh, it stopped. There was a large stonethere, and they cut up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to Yahweh.
15 The Levites had taken down the ark of Yahweh and the box with it containing the golden objects andput these on the large stone. That day the people of Beth-Shemesh presented burnt offerings and madesacrifices to Yahweh.	15 The Levites had taken down the ark of Yahweh and the box with it containing the golden objects andput these on the large stone. That day the people of Beth-Shemesh presented burnt offerings and madesacrifices to Yahweh.
16 The five chiefs of the Philistines, having witnessed this, went back to Ekron the same day.	16 The five chiefs of the Philistines, having witnessed this, went back to Ekron the same day.
17 The golden tumours paid by the Philistines as a guilt offering to Yahweh were as fol ows: one forAshdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;	17 The golden tumours paid by the Philistines as a guilt offering to Yahweh were as fol ows: one forAshdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;
18 and golden rats to the number of al the Philistine towns, those of the five chiefs, from fortified townsdown to open villages: stil to this day the large stone in the field of Joshua of Beth-Shemesh, on which they putthe ark of Yahweh, is a witness.	18 and golden rats to the number of al the Philistine towns, those of the five chiefs, from fortified townsdown to open villages: stil to this day the large stone in the field of Joshua of Beth-Shemesh, on which they putthe ark of Yahweh, is a witness.
19 Of the people of Beth-Shemesh the sons of Jeconiah had not rejoiced when they saw the ark ofYahweh, and Yahweh struck down seventy of them. The people mourned because Yahweh had struck them sofiercely.	19 Of the people of Beth-Shemesh the sons of Jeconiah had not rejoiced when they saw the ark ofYahweh, and Yahweh struck down seventy of them. The people mourned because Yahweh had struck them sofiercely.
20 The people of Beth-Shemesh then said, 'Who can stand his ground before Yahweh, this holy God? Towhom shal he go, so that we are rid of him?'	20 The people of Beth-Shemesh then said, 'Who can stand his ground before Yahweh, this holy God? Towhom shal he go, so that we are rid of him?'
21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-Jearim, to say, 'The Philistines have sent backthe ark of Yahweh; come down and take it up to your town.'	21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-Jearim, to say, 'The Philistines have sent backthe ark of Yahweh; come down and take it up to your town.'