And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
The men carried out the test proposed by their priests and counselors, taking two nursing cows that had never borne a yoke, tying them to the cart that carried the ark, shutting their calves up at home, and leaving the cows free to draw the ark away from their young. The cart was new, made for returning the ark.
The test was whether the cows would take the road to Beth-shemesh to its proper place, even though doing so meant leaving their calves behind and acting against nature. Their separation from their calves made their direct journey toward Beth-shemesh evidence that God was guiding the ark's return and had sent the afflictions upon the Philistines, rather than it happening by chance. The Lord directed the kine to carry the ark to its proper place though they were not naturally expected to leave their calves behind, showing that He could guide its return without human hands trying to steady or control His sacred work.
The men carried out the test proposed by their priests and counselors, taking two nursing cows that had never borne a yoke, tying them to the cart that carried the ark, shutting their calves up at home, and leaving the cows free to draw the ark away from their young. The cart was new, made for returning the ark.
The test was whether the cows would take the road to Beth-shemesh to its proper place, even though doing so meant leaving their calves behind and acting against nature. Their separation from their calves made their direct journey toward Beth-shemesh evidence that God was guiding the ark's return and had sent the afflictions upon the Philistines, rather than it happening by chance. The Lord directed the kine to carry the ark to its proper place though they were not naturally expected to leave their calves behind, showing that He could guide its return without human hands trying to steady or control His sacred work.