1 Samuel 6
Bibelen på hverdagsdansk
Filistrene sender arken tilbage
6 Arken havde nu været i filistrenes land i syv måneder. 2 Da fik filisterkongerne fat på nogle præster og spåmænd og spurgte dem: „Hvordan skal vi bære os ad med at sende arken tilbage?”
3 „Når I sender den tilbage, skal I sende en gave med som forsoningsoffer til Israels Gud,” svarede de. „Så vil byldeplagen standse, og I vil forstå, hvorfor hans hånd har hvilet så tungt på jer.”[a]
4-5 „Hvad skal vi sende med som forsoningsoffer?” spurgte de.
„Siden det er den samme plage, der har ramt jer i alle fem byer, skal I lave fem efterligninger i guld af de bylder, som plagen har forårsaget,” lød svaret. „Send også fem efterligninger i guld af de mus, som har hærget landet. Send disse gaver til ære for Israels Gud, så vil han måske løfte sin hånd fra jer og jeres gud og jeres land. 6 Vær ikke stædige og oprørske, som Farao og egypterne var. De ville jo ikke give slip på Israels folk, før deres Gud ramte dem med sine frygtelige plager. 7 Byg en ny vogn og tag to køer, der lige har fået kalve, og som aldrig har været spændt i åg. Dem skal I spænde for vognen, og deres kalve skal I tage fra dem og lukke inde i stalden. 8 Sæt så arken op på vognen, og sæt et skrin med guldmusene og guldbylderne ved siden af den. Send så køerne af sted med arken. 9 Hvis de går over grænsen og ind til Bet-Shemesh, kan vi være sikre på, at det er Israels Gud, som har sendt denne ulykke over os. Gør de ikke det, så ved vi, at det ikke er ham, der har sendt plagen, men at det bare er et sammentræf af uheldige omstændigheder.”
10 Dette råd fulgte de. To køer, som for nylig havde kælvet, blev spændt for vognen, og kalvene blev lukket inde i stalden. 11 Så blev Herrens Ark og skrinet med guldmusene og guldbylderne sat op på vognen. 12 Køerne satte straks kursen direkte mod Bet-Shemesh, og de brølede hele vejen. Filisterkongerne fulgte efter dem til Bet-Shemesh’ grænse.
13 Bet-Shemesh’ indbyggere var i færd med at høste hvede i dalen, da arken ankom. Da de fik øje på den, blev de ude af sig selv af begejstring. 14-15 Vognen standsede ved siden af en stor sten ved kanten af en mark, der tilhørte en mand ved navn Jehoshua. En gruppe mænd af Levis stamme løftede arken og skrinet med guldmusene og guldbylderne ned fra vognen og satte dem på stenen. Høstfolkene slog straks vognen i stykker og brugte træet fra den til et offerbål. Så slagtede de køerne og ofrede dem som et brændoffer til Herren. Den dag ofrede Bet-Shemesh’ indbyggere adskillige brændofre og slagtofre til Herren. 16 Imens stod de fem filisterkonger på afstand og iagttog, hvad der foregik. Derefter vendte de samme dag tilbage til Ekron. 17 De fem guldbylder, som filistrene havde sendt med som forsoningsoffer, var en gave fra kongerne i byerne Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkalon, Gat og Ekron. 18 De fem guldmus var en gave fra de befæstede byer og mindre landsbyer, der hørte ind under de fem hovedbyer. Den sten, vognen standsede ved, ligger den dag i dag på marken uden for Bet-Shemesh som et vidnesbyrd om denne begivenhed. 19 Men fordi 70 af Bet-Shemesh’ indbyggere kiggede ned i arken, slog Herren dem ihjel. Og indbyggerne sørgede over den tragedie, der havde ramt dem.
20 „Hvem kan leve i denne hellige Guds nærhed?” klagede de. „Hvor skal vi nu sende arken hen?”
21 Så sendte de bud til indbyggerne i Kirjat-Jearim. „Filistrene har sendt Herrens Ark tilbage til os,” sagde de. „Kom og hent den op til jer.”
Footnotes
- 6,3 Teksten er vanskelig at forstå her.
1 Samuel 6
New King James Version
The Ark Returned to Israel
6 Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines (A)called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place.”
3 So they said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it (B)empty; but by all means return it to Him with (C)a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”
4 Then they said, “What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?”
They answered, (D)“Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of [a]you and on your lords. 5 Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that (E)ravage the land, and you shall (F)give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will (G)lighten[b] His hand from you, from (H)your gods, and from your land. 6 Why then do you harden your hearts (I)as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, (J)did they not let the people go, that they might depart? 7 Now therefore, make (K)a new cart, take two milk cows (L)which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. 8 Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart; and put (M)the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. 9 And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to (N)Beth Shemesh, then He has done [c]us this great evil. But if not, then (O)we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance.”
10 Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors. 12 Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the (P)highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their (Q)wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 14 Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. 15 The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone. Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to the Lord. 16 So when (R)the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17 (S)These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned as a trespass offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for (T)Gath, one for Ekron; 18 and the golden rats, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and country villages, even as far as the large stone of Abel on which they set the ark of the Lord, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
19 Then (U)He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. [d]He (V)struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
The Ark at Kirjath Jearim
20 And the men of Beth Shemesh said, (W)“Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of (X)Kirjath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up with you.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 6:4 Lit. them
- 1 Samuel 6:5 ease
- 1 Samuel 6:9 this calamity to us
- 1 Samuel 6:19 Or He struck seventy men of the people and fifty oxen of a man
1 Samuel 6
English Standard Version
The Ark Returned to Israel
6 The ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and (A)the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place.” 3 They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him (B)a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why (C)his hand does not turn away from you.” 4 And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden (D)tumors and five golden mice, (E)according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5 So you must make images of your (F)tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, (G)and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps (H)he will lighten his hand from off you (I)and your gods and your land. 6 Why should you harden your hearts as (J)the Egyptians and (K)Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, (L)did they not send the people away, and they departed? 7 Now then, take and prepare (M)a new cart and two milk cows (N)on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. 8 And take the ark of the Lord and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side (O)the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as (P)a guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way 9 and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to (Q)Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not (R)his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.”
10 The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they put the ark of the Lord on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors. 12 And the cows went straight in the direction of (S)Beth-shemesh along (T)one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of (U)Beth-shemesh. 13 Now the people of (V)Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it. 14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there. (W)A great stone was there. And they split up 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 box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon (X)the great stone. And the men of (Y)Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the Lord. 16 And when (Z)the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.
17 These are the golden tumors that the Philistines returned as a (AA)guilt offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron, 18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, (AB)both fortified cities and unwalled villages. (AC)The great stone beside which they set down the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.
19 (AD)And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them,[a] and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow. 20 Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, (AE)“Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of (AF)Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to you.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 6:19 Most Hebrew manuscripts struck of the people seventy men, fifty thousand men
1 Samuel 6
King James Version
6 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 they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
8 And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, 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.
10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
11 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.
12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord.
15 And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord.
16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.
19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
Bibelen på hverdagsdansk (Danish New Living Bible) Copyright © 2002, 2006 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
