1 Samuel 6:10-18
10 Then the men did so: they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut in their calves at home.
11 And they put the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the saddlebag with the gold mice and the likenesses of their tumors.
12 Now the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh; they went on the same road, bellowing as they went, and did not turn off to the right or to the left. And the governors of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
13 Now the people of Beth-shemesh were gathering in their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced at seeing it.
14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stopped there where there was a large stone; and they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.
15 And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the saddlebag that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the Lord.
16 When the five governors of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.
17 Now these are the gold tumors which the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron;
18 and the gold mice, corresponding to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five governors, both of fortified cities and of country villages. The large stone on which they placed the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
The Restoration of the Ark of God
Cows obedient to God
The Philistines placed the Ark of the Lord and the guilt offering (the gold tumors and the gold mice) on a new cart and had it pulled by two milk cows. (1) The cows, driven by maternal instinct, kept moving forward while bellowing for their calves. (2) However, the cows obeyed the Creator rather than their maternal instinct. Amazingly, they did not turn towards their calves nor turn off road at crossroads but continued straight to Beth-shemesh. (3) The rulers of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh. It was clear in their eyes that the God of Israel was guiding the cows.
The people of Beth-shemesh rejoice
Beth-shemesh was a border town located about 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) east of Ekron. (1) The cart with the cows came to a stop in the field of a man from Beth-shemesh named Joshua. (2) The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the Valley of Sorek. The season was around May to June in our calendar. (3) The people were overjoyed upon seeing the Ark of the Lord. They rejoiced more for the return of the Ark than for the harvest. (4) They promptly broke up the cart for wood and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. The Israelites understood that a blood sacrifice was necessary, not just the articles of gold. (5) Let’s consider the appropriateness of offering a burnt sacrifice in Beth-shemesh. Since the town of Shiloh, where the Tabernacle was located, had already been destroyed, offering sacrifices was permissible in Beth-shemesh as long as they were performed by priests. Additionally, these cows qualified as an offering because they were “cows that have never been yoked.” (6) The people of Beth-shemesh also offered other sacrifices to the Lord. The five lords of the Philistines, having witnessed these events, returned to Ekron the same day. The prophet Isaiah later prophesied concerning the people of Israel, saying, “An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger; but Israel does not know, my people do not understand” (Isa. 1:3). We, too, should follow not our instincts or emotions, but the Creator and Savior.
Today's prayer
Our Creator, please help me to joyfully follow Your providence and guidance. May I learn from the two cows. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.