1 Samuel 6:9

If it goes by the land of Israel to Beth-shemesh, then this great evil is his work; but if not, then we may be certain that the evil was not his doing, but was the working of chance.

Bible in Basic English

In The 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.

In Context

8And put the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the gold images which you are sending as a sin-offering in a chest by its side; and send it away so that it may go.

10And the men did so; they took two cows, yoking them to the cart and shutting up their young ones in their living-place:

Read all of 1 Samuel 6

Cross References

Exodus 8:15But when Pharaoh saw that there was peace for a time, he made his heart hard and did not give ear to them, as the Lord had said.

Joshua 21:16And Ain, and Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, with their grass-lands; nine towns from those two tribes.

2 Samuel 1:6And the young man said, I came by chance to Mount Gilboa, and I saw Saul supporting himself on his spear; and the war-carriages and horsemen overtook him.

2 Chronicles 25:21And so Joash, king of Israel, went up; and he and Amaziah, king of Judah, came face to face at Beth-shemesh in Judah.

Isaiah 26:11Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see: let them see ... yes, your haters will be burned up in the fire.

Luke 10:31And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he went by on the other side.

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 6:2-10

The Ark Among the Philistines. ( b. c. 1120.) 1 And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord ? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place. 3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 4 Then said… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Samuel 6:9