1 Samuel 6:11

Then they put the ark of the LORD on the cart, along with the chest containing the gold rats and the images of the tumors.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Philistine rulers and priests place the ark of the LORD onto a cart immediately after harnessing two milk cows and securing their calves. This action follows their consultation regarding how to return the stolen ark to Israel.

The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יָּשִׂ֛מוּ (va/yiśîmû) literally means "and they put" or "they set," describing the physical placement of the sacred objects. The noun הָ/אַרְגַּ֗ז (haʿarḡāz) specifically denotes a "box" or "chest" that holds the gold rats and tumor images separately from the ark itself.

The thread — This cart-transport method reappears when Israel moves the ark from Abinadab’s house, an approach later corrected when divine instruction specifies Levitical carrying (2 Samuel 6:3; 1 Chronicles 13:7; 1 Chronicles 15:13). The pattern shows a recurring tension between human convenience and prescribed worship practice.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to verify whether religious actions conform to explicit divine instruction rather than cultural adaptation or practical expediency. It asks for immediate obedience to how God defines handling the sacred, not how humans optimize it.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיָּשִׂ֛מוּva/i.ya.Si.muand/ they put אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֲר֥וֹן'a.Ron[the] ark of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֶל־'el-into הָעֲגָלָ֑הha./'a.ga.Lahthe/ cart וְאֵ֣תve./'Etand/ <obj.>הָאַרְגַּ֗זha./'ar.Gazthe/ box וְאֵת֙ve./'Etand/ <obj.>עַכְבְּרֵ֣י'akh.be.Rei[the] mice of הַזָּהָ֔בha./za.Hav<the>/ gold וְאֵ֖תve./'Etand/ <obj.>צַלְמֵ֥יtzal.Mei[the] images of טְחֹרֵיהֶֽם׃te.cho.rei./Hemtumors/ their

King James Version

And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 15:13 It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.”
2 Samuel 6:3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart,
1 Chronicles 13:7 So they carried the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding the cart.