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Chapter 6

The Return of the Ark of God. When the Ark of the Lord had been held in Philistine territory for seven months, the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners and said, “What should we do with the Ark of the Lord? Tell us how to send it back home.”

They answered, “If you return the Ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty-handed. Rather, send a guilt offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will understand why he continued to afflict you.”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 6:3 The Philistine priests and diviners responded to the Ark as they traditionally would in appeasing an angry god. Their guilt offering, however, was not in line with Levitical requirements.

The Ark Returned to Israel

When the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory seven months, the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners(A) and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.”

They answered, “If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it back to him without a gift;(B) by all means send a guilt offering(C) to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand(D) has not been lifted from you.”

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