1 Samuel

1 Samuel 6:7–12

7Now, therefore, prepare one new cart with two milk cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. 8Take the ark of the LORD, set it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to Him as a guilt offering.

Then send the ark on its way, 9but 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.”

10So the men did as instructed. They took two milk cows, hitched them to the cart, and penned up their calves. 11Then they put the ark of the LORD on the cart, along with the chest containing the gold rats and the images of the tumors.

12And the cows headed straight up the road toward Beth-shemesh, staying on that one highway and lowing as they went, never straying to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed behind them to the border of Beth-shemesh.

Read all of 1 Samuel 6

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 6:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Nowוְעַתָּ֗הwə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
thereforeוְעַתָּ֗הwə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
prepareוַעֲשׂ֜וּwa·‘ă·śūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH6213 do, make
oneאֶחָ֔ת’e·ḥāṯNumber - feminine singularH259 one
newחֲדָשָׁה֙ḥă·ḏā·šāhAdjective - feminine singularH2319 new
cartעֲגָלָ֤ה‘ă·ḡā·lāhNoun - feminine singularH5699 cart
with twoוּשְׁתֵּ֤יū·šə·têConjunctive waw; Number - feminine dual constructH8147 two
milkעָל֔וֹת‘ā·lō·wṯVerb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralH5763 give suck
cowsפָרוֹת֙p̄ā·rō·wṯNoun - feminine pluralH6510 heifer, cow
thatאֲשֶׁ֛ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
have neverלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
been yokedעָלָ֥ה‘ā·lāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5927 go up, ascend, climb
Hitchוַאֲסַרְתֶּ֤םwa·’ă·sar·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH631 tie, bind, imprison
the cowsהַפָּרוֹת֙hap·pā·rō·wṯArticle; Noun - feminine pluralH6510 heifer, cow
to the cartבָּעֲגָלָ֔הbā·‘ă·ḡā·lāhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH5699 cart
but take their calvesבְּנֵיהֶ֛םbə·nê·hemNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine pluralH1121 son
awayוַהֲשֵׁיבֹתֶ֧םwa·hă·šê·ḇō·ṯemConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH7725 turn back, return
and pen them upהַבָּֽיְתָה׃hab·bā·yə·ṯāhArticle; Noun - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH1004 house

1 Samuel 6:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Takeוּלְקַחְתֶּ֞םū·lə·qaḥ·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH3947 take
the arkאֲר֣וֹן’ă·rō·wnNoun - common singular constructH727 chest, ark
of the LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
setוּנְתַתֶּ֤םū·nə·ṯat·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH5414 give, put, set
itאֹתוֹ֙’ō·ṯōwDirect object marker; third person masculine singularH853 mark of the accusative
onאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the cartהָ֣עֲגָלָ֔הhā·‘ă·ḡā·lāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH5699 cart
andוְאֵ֣ת׀wə·’êṯConjunctive waw; Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
in a chestבָאַרְגַּ֖זḇā·’ar·gazPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH712 box, chest
beside itמִצִּדּ֑וֹmiṣ·ṣid·dōwPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH6654 side
putתָּשִׂ֥ימוּtā·śî·mūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralH7760 put, place, set
the goldהַזָּהָ֗בhaz·zā·hāḇArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2091 gold
objectsכְּלֵ֣יkə·lêNoun - masculine plural constructH3627 article, utensil, vessel
you are sending backהֲשֵׁבֹתֶ֥םhă·šê·ḇō·ṯemVerb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine pluralH7725 turn back, return
to Himלוֹ֙lōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
as a guilt offeringאָשָׁ֔ם’ā·šāmNoun - masculine singularH817 offence, guilt
Then sendוְשִׁלַּחְתֶּ֥םwə·šil·laḥ·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH7971 send
on its wayוְהָלָֽךְ׃wə·hā·lāḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk

1 Samuel 6:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
but keep watching itוּרְאִיתֶ֗םū·rə·’î·ṯemConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH7200 see
Ifאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
it goes upיַֽעֲלֶה֙ya·‘ă·lehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH5927 go up, ascend, climb
the roadדֶּ֨רֶךְde·reḵNoun - common singular constructH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
to its homelandגְּבוּל֤וֹgə·ḇū·lōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1366 border, boundary, territory
toward Beth-shemeshשֶׁ֔מֶשׁše·mešNoun - proper - feminine singularH1053 Beth-Shemesh
it is the LORDה֚וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
who has broughtעָ֣שָׂה‘ā·śāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH6213 do, make
on usלָ֔נוּlā·nūPreposition; first person common plural
thisהַזֹּ֑אתhaz·zōṯArticle; Pronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
greatהַגְּדוֹלָ֖הhag·gə·ḏō·w·lāhArticle; Adjective - feminine singularH1419 great
disasterהָרָעָ֥הhā·rā·‘āhArticle; Adjective - feminine singularH7451 bad, evil
But ifוְאִם־wə·’im-ConjunctionH518 if
it does notלֹ֗אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
then we will knowוְיָדַ֙עְנוּ֙wə·yā·ḏa‘·nūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common pluralH3045 know
thatכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
it was notלֹ֤אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
His handיָדוֹ֙yā·ḏōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3027 hand
that punishedנָ֣גְעָהnā·ḡə·‘āhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH5060 touch, reach, strike
usבָּ֔נוּbā·nūPreposition; first person common plural
and that itה֖וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
happenedהָ֥יָהhā·yāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
by chanceמִקְרֶ֥הmiq·rehNoun - masculine singularH4745 accident, chance, fortune

1 Samuel 6:10

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So the menהָאֲנָשִׁים֙hā·’ă·nā·šîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH582 man, mankind
didוַיַּעֲשׂ֤וּway·ya·‘ă·śūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH6213 do, make
They tookוַיִּקְח֗וּway·yiq·ḥūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH3947 take
twoשְׁתֵּ֤יšə·têNumber - feminine dual constructH8147 two
milkעָל֔וֹת‘ā·lō·wṯVerb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralH5763 give suck
cowsפָרוֹת֙p̄ā·rō·wṯNoun - feminine pluralH6510 heifer, cow
hitched themוַיַּאַסְר֖וּםway·ya·’as·rūmConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine pluralH631 tie, bind, imprison
to the cartבָּעֲגָלָ֑הbā·‘ă·ḡā·lāhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH5699 cart
and penned upכָּל֥וּkā·lūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3607 shut up, restrain, withhold
their calvesבְּנֵיהֶ֖םbə·nê·hemNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine pluralH1121 son

1 Samuel 6:11

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then they putוַיָּשִׂ֛מוּway·yā·śi·mūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH7760 put, place, set
the arkאֲר֥וֹן’ă·rō·wnNoun - common singular constructH727 chest, ark
of the LORDיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
onאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the cartהָעֲגָלָ֑הhā·‘ă·ḡā·lāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH5699 cart
along with the chestהָאַרְגַּ֗זhā·’ar·gazArticle; Noun - masculine singularH712 box, chest
containing the goldהַזָּהָ֔בhaz·zā·hāḇArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2091 gold
ratsעַכְבְּרֵ֣י‘aḵ·bə·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH5909 mouse
and the imagesצַלְמֵ֥יṣal·mêNoun - masculine plural constructH6754 image
of the tumorsטְחֹרֵיהֶֽם׃ṭə·ḥō·rê·hemNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine pluralH2914 tumours

1 Samuel 6:12

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And the cowsהַפָּר֜וֹתhap·pā·rō·wṯArticle; Noun - feminine pluralH6510 heifer, cow
headed straightוַיִשַּׁ֨רְנָהwa·yiš·šar·nå̄hConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralH3474 be smooth, straight, right
up the roadבַּדֶּ֗רֶךְbad·de·reḵPreposition-b, Article; Noun - common singularH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
towardעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
Beth-shemeshשֶׁ֔מֶשׁše·mešNoun - proper - feminine singularH1053 Beth-Shemesh
staying on that oneאַחַ֗ת’a·ḥaṯNumber - feminine singularH259 one
highwayבִּמְסִלָּ֣הbim·sil·lāhPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH4546 highway
and lowingוְגָע֔וֹwə·ḡā·‘ōwConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH1600 low
as they wentהָלְכ֤וּhā·lə·ḵūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH1980 go, come, walk
neverוְלֹא־wə·lō-Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
strayingסָ֖רוּsā·rūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH5493 turn aside
to the rightיָמִ֣יןyā·mînNoun - feminine singularH3225 right hand
or to the leftוּשְׂמֹ֑אולū·śə·mō·wlConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH8040 the left
The rulersוְסַרְנֵ֤יwə·sar·nêConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural constructH5633 tyrant, lord
of the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּים֙p̄ə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
followedהֹלְכִ֣יםhō·lə·ḵîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
behind themאַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם’a·ḥă·rê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH310 behind
toעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the borderגְּב֖וּלgə·ḇūlNoun - masculine singular constructH1366 border, boundary, territory
of Beth-shemeshשָֽׁמֶשׁ׃šā·mešNoun - proper - feminine singularH1053 Beth-Shemesh

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 6:7 2 Samuel 6:3 · Numbers 19:2

1 Samuel 6:9 Joshua 21:16 · Joshua 15:10 · Luke 10:31 · 1 Samuel 6:3 · Ecclesiastes 9:11 · 2 Samuel 1:6

1 Samuel 6:11 1 Chronicles 15:13–15

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.