And the arkאֲרוֹןof YHWHיְהוָהwasוַיְהִיin the countryבִּשְׂדֵהof the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּיםsevenשִׁבְעָהmonths.חֳדָשִׁים
And the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּיםcalledוַיִּקְרְאוּfor the priestsלַכֹּהֲנִיםand for the diviners,וְלַקֹּסְמִיםsaying,לֵאמֹר“Whatמַהshall we doנַּעֲשֶׂהwith the arkלַאֲרוֹןof YHWH?יְהוָהLet us knowהוֹדִעֻנוּwith whatבַּמֶּהwe should send itנְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּto its place.”לִמְקוֹמוֹ
And they said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“Ifאִםyou send awayמְשַׁלְּחִיםthe arkאֶת אֲרוֹןof the Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלdo notאַלsendתְּשַׁלְּחוּitאֹתוֹempty,רֵיקָםbutכִּיbe sure to restoreהָשֵׁב תָּשִׁיבוּto himלוֹa guilt offering;אָשָׁםthenאָזyou will be healed,תֵּרָפְאוּand it will be knownוְנוֹדַעto youלָכֶםwhyלָמָּהhis handיָדוֹdoes notלֹאturn awayתָסוּרfrom you.”מִכֶּם
And they said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“Whatמָהisthe guilt offeringהָאָשָׁםthatאֲשֶׁרwe shall restoreנָשִׁיבto him?”לוֹAnd they said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“By the numberמִסְפַּרof the lordsסַרְנֵיof the Philistines,פְלִשְׁתִּיםfiveחֲמִשָּׁהgoldזָהָבtumorsטְחֹרֵיand fiveוַחֲמִשָּׁהgoldזָהָבmice,עַכְבְּרֵיforכִּיoneאַחַתplagueמַגֵּפָהwason all of themלְכֻלָּםand on your lords.וּלְסַרְנֵיכֶם
So you shall makeוַעֲשִׂיתֶםimagesצַלְמֵיof your tumorsטְחֹרֵיכֶםand imagesוְצַלְמֵיof your miceעַכְבְּרֵיכֶםthat are destroyingהַמַּשְׁחִיתִםthe land,אֶת הָאָרֶץand giveוּנְתַתֶּםgloryכָּבוֹדto the Elohimלֵאלֹהֵיof Israel;יִשְׂרָאֵלperhapsאוּלַיhe will lightenיָקֵלhis handאֶת יָדוֹfrom upon youמֵעֲלֵיכֶםand from uponוּמֵעַלyour godsאֱלֹהֵיכֶםand from uponוּמֵעַלyour land.אַרְצְכֶם
And whyוְלָמָּהshould you makeתְכַבְּדוּyour heartאֶת לְבַבְכֶםinsensitiveתְכַבְּדוּasכַּאֲשֶׁרEgyptמִצְרַיִםand Pharaohוּפַרְעֹהmadeכִּבְּדוּtheir heartאֶת לִבָּםinsensitive?כִּבְּדוּWas it notהֲלוֹאwhenכַּאֲשֶׁרhe had dealt harshlyהִתְעַלֵּלwith themבָּהֶםthat they let them go,וַיְשַׁלְּחוּםand they went?וַיֵּלֵכוּ
So now,וְעַתָּהtakeקְחוּand makeוַעֲשׂוּoneאֶחָתnewחֲדָשָׁהcartעֲגָלָהand twoוּשְׁתֵּיnursingעָלוֹתcowsפָרוֹתon whichאֲשֶׁר עֲלֵיהֶםnoלֹאyokeעֹלhas comeעָלָהand hitchוַאֲסַרְתֶּםthe cowsאֶת הַפָּרוֹתto the cart,בָּעֲגָלָהand takeוַהֲשֵׁיבֹתֶםtheir calvesבְּנֵיהֶםback homeהַבָּיְתָהfrom behind them.מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם
And takeוּלְקַחְתֶּםthe arkאֶת אֲרוֹןof YHWHיְהוָהand putוּנְתַתֶּםitאֹתוֹonאֶלthe cart,הָעֲגָלָהand the objectsוְאֵת כְּלֵיof goldהַזָּהָבthatאֲשֶׁרyou are restoringהֲשֵׁבֹתֶםto himלוֹas a guilt offeringאָשָׁםyou shall putתָּשִׂימוּin the chestבָאַרְגַּזat its side;מִצִּדּוֹand sendוְשִׁלַּחְתֶּםitאֹתוֹoff, and let it go.וְהָלָךְ
And watch:וּרְאִיתֶםifאִםit goes upיַעֲלֶהby the roadדֶּרֶךְto its own territory,גְּבוּלוֹto Beth-shemesh,בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁthen heהוּאhas doneעָשָׂהusלָנוּthisהַזֹּאתgreatהַגְּדוֹלָהharm;אֶת הָרָעָהbut ifוְאִםnot,לֹאthen we will knowוְיָדַעְנוּthatכִּיit was notלֹאhis handיָדוֹthat struckנָגְעָהus;בָּנוּitהוּאwasהָיָהan accidentמִקְרֶהthat happened to us.”לָנוּ
And the menהָאֲנָשִׁיםdidוַיַּעֲשׂוּso;כֵּןthey tookוַיִּקְחוּtwoשְׁתֵּיnursingעָלוֹתcowsפָרוֹתand hitched themוַיַּאַסְרוּםto the cart,בָּעֲגָלָהand shut upכָּלוּtheir calvesוְאֶת בְּנֵיהֶםat home.בַבָּיִת
And they putוַיָּשִׂמוּthe arkאֶת אֲרוֹןof YHWHיְהוָהonאֶלthe cart,הָעֲגָלָהand the chestוְאֵת הָאַרְגַּזand the miceוְאֵת עַכְבְּרֵיof goldהַזָּהָבand the imagesוְאֵת צַלְמֵיof their tumors.טְחֹרֵיהֶם
And the cowsהַפָּרוֹתwent straightוַיִשַּׁרְנָהon the road,בַּדֶּרֶךְonעַלthe roadדֶּרֶךְto Beth-shemesh;בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁalong oneבִּ אַחַתhighwayמְסִלָּהthey went,הָלְכוּgoingהָלֹךְand lowing,וְגָעוֹand they did notוְלֹאturn asideסָרוּto the rightיָמִיןor to the left;וּשְׂמֹאולand the lordsוְסַרְנֵיof the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּיםwere walkingהֹלְכִיםafter themאַחֲרֵיהֶםas far asעַדthe borderגְּבוּלof Beth-shemesh.בֵּית שָׁמֶשׁ
Now the people of Beth-shemeshוּבֵית שֶׁמֶשׁwere reapingקֹצְרִיםthe harvestקְצִירof wheatחִטִּיםin the valley;בָּעֵמֶקand they lifted upוַיִּשְׂאוּtheir eyesאֶת עֵינֵיהֶםand sawוַיִּרְאוּthe arkאֶת הָאָרוֹןand rejoicedוַיִּשְׂמְחוּto see it.לִרְאוֹת
And the cartוְהָעֲגָלָהcameבָּאָהintoאֶלthe fieldשְׂדֵהof Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁעַof Beth-shemeshבֵּית הַשִּׁמְשִׁיand stoppedוַתַּעֲמֹדthere.שָׁםAnd thereוְשָׁםwasa greatגְּדוֹלָהstone.אֶבֶןAnd they splitוַיְבַקְּעוּthe woodאֶת עֲצֵיof the cartהָעֲגָלָהand offered upהֶעֱלוּthe cowsוְאֶת הַפָּרוֹתas a burnt offeringעֹלָהto YHWH.לַיהוָה
And the Levitesוְהַלְוִיִּםbrought downהוֹרִידוּthe arkאֶת אֲרוֹןof YHWHיְהוָהand the chestוְאֶת הָאַרְגַּזthatאֲשֶׁרwas with it,אִתּוֹin whichאֲשֶׁר בּוֹwerethe objectsכְלֵיof gold,זָהָבand put themוַיָּשִׂמוּonאֶלthe greatהַגְּדוֹלָהstone.הָאֶבֶןAnd the menוְאַנְשֵׁיof Beth-shemeshבֵית שֶׁמֶשׁoffered upהֶעֱלוּburnt offeringsעֹלוֹתand sacrificedוַיִּזְבְּחוּsacrificesזְבָחִיםthatהַהוּאdayבַּיּוֹםto YHWH.לַיהוָה
And the fiveוַחֲמִשָּׁהlordsסַרְנֵיof the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּיםsaw itרָאוּand returnedוַיָּשֻׁבוּto Ekronעֶקְרוֹןthatהַהוּאday.בַּיּוֹם
And theseוְאֵלֶּהarethe goldהַזָּהָבtumorsטְחֹרֵיthatאֲשֶׁרthe Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּיםrestoredהֵשִׁיבוּas a guilt offeringאָשָׁםto YHWH:לַיהוָהfor Ashdodלְאַשְׁדּוֹדone,אֶחָדfor Gazaלְעַזָּהone,אֶחָדfor Ashkelonלְאַשְׁקְלוֹןone,אֶחָדfor Gathלְגַתone,אֶחָדfor Ekronלְעֶקְרוֹןone;אֶחָד
and the goldהַזָּהָבmice,וְעַכְבְּרֵיby the numberמִסְפַּרof allכָּלthe citiesעָרֵיof the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּיםbelonging to the fiveלַחֲמֵשֶׁתlords,הַסְּרָנִיםfrom fortifiedמִבְצָרcityמֵעִירtoוְעַדunwalledהַפְּרָזִיvillage,כֹּפֶרand as far asוְעַדthe greatהַגְּדוֹלָהAbelאָבֵלon whichאֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָthey set downהִנִּיחוּthe arkאֵת אֲרוֹןof YHWH;יְהוָהit is theretoעַדthisהַזֶּהdayהַיּוֹםin the fieldבִּשְׂדֵהof Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁעַof Beth-shemesh.בֵּית הַשִּׁמְשִׁי
And he struckוַיַּךְamong the menבְּאַנְשֵׁיof Beth-shemesh,בֵית שֶׁמֶשׁbecauseכִּיthey lookedרָאוּinto the arkבַּאֲרוֹןof YHWH;יְהוָהhe struckוַיַּךְamong the peopleבָּעָםseventyשִׁבְעִיםmen,אִישׁfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםthousandאֶלֶףmen.אִישׁAnd the peopleוַ הָעָםmourned,יִּתְאַבְּלוּbecauseכִּיYHWHיְהוָהhad struckהִכָּהthe peopleבָּעָםwith a greatגְדוֹלָהblow.מַכָּה
And the menאַנְשֵׁיof Beth-shemeshבֵית שֶׁמֶשׁsaid,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“Whoמִיis ableיוּכַלto standלַעֲמֹדbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWH,יְהוָהthisהַזֶּהholyהַקָּדוֹשׁElohim?הָאֱלֹהִיםAnd toוְאֶלwhomמִיshall he go upיַעֲלֶהfrom us?”מֵעָלֵינוּ
So they sentוַיִּשְׁלְחוּmessengersמַלְאָכִיםtoאֶלthe inhabitantsיוֹשְׁבֵיof Kiriath-jearim,קִרְיַת יְעָרִיםsaying,לֵאמֹר“The Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּיםhave returnedהֵשִׁבוּthe arkאֶת אֲרוֹןof YHWH;יְהוָהcome downרְדוּand bring it upהַעֲלוּ אֹתוֹto you.”אֲלֵיכֶם