Bible Strands
1 Samuel 6:9
but keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The men preparing the cart speak to one another as they finalize the plan to return the ark of the LORD to Israel. They establish a conditional test to determine whether the recent plagues are divine punishment or random chance.
The words — The verb וּ/רְאִיתֶ֗ם (u./re.'i.Tem) translates literally as “and you will see,” introducing the observational requirement of the test. The noun דֶּ֨רֶךְ (De.rekh) means “the way” or “road,” which the men will track to verify the ark’s destination.
The thread — The destination Beth-shemesh is identified as a territorial marker in Joshua 15:10 and a Levitical city in Joshua 21:16. The requirement to accompany the ark with a guilt offering links directly to the instruction in 1 Samuel 6:3.
Why it lands — The text states that the men demand physical proof of the ark’s direction before acknowledging divine agency. It asks the reader to observe how the officials attempt to reduce a spiritual judgment to a measurable outcome rather than accepting the stated cause.
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
King James Version
And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth–shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.
Cross-references
- Joshua 15:10 The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.
- Joshua 21:16 Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.
- 1 Samuel 6:3 They replied, “If you return the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty, but by all means return it to Him with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will understand why His hand has not been lifted from you.”
- 2 Samuel 1:6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.
- Ecclesiastes 9:11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.
- Luke 10:31 Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
- Isaiah 26:11 O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!
- Amos 3:6 If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?