“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.”
My Notes
What Does 1 Samuel 6:9 Mean?
The Philistines have captured the ark of the covenant, and it's been nothing but trouble — plagues, tumors, and death wherever they place it. Their priests devise a test: put the ark on a cart pulled by two milk cows whose calves have been taken away. If the cows walk toward Beth-shemesh (Israelite territory) against their natural instinct to return to their calves, then God is real and He caused the plagues. If they don't, "it was a chance that happened to us."
This is one of the most intellectually honest tests in Scripture. The Philistines are genuinely trying to determine whether what they're experiencing is divine or coincidental. They design an experiment with a control variable: cows that should naturally go the wrong direction. If the cows override their maternal instinct and walk toward Israel, it can't be accident.
The cows went straight to Beth-shemesh (verse 12), lowing the whole way — crying for their calves but walking obediently toward Israel. Even the animals obeyed God against their own nature.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Have you ever been in a 'Philistine moment' — genuinely trying to determine if something was God or coincidence?
- 2.What 'test' has God passed in your life that you can't honestly attribute to chance?
- 3.How do you maintain intellectual honesty about your faith without dismissing genuine evidence of God's work?
- 4.Does the image of the cows — crying but obedient — resonate with any area of your life?
Devotional
The Philistines designed a test to see if God was real. And it's actually a pretty good test.
They took nursing cows — mothers who had never been yoked to a cart — separated them from their calves, and said: if these cows walk away from their babies and toward Beth-shemesh, this is God. If they go back to their calves (the natural, expected behavior), it's coincidence.
The cows walked straight toward Israel. Crying the whole way. Every instinct pulling them back to their calves, and they went forward anyway. Because something stronger than instinct was directing them.
There's a moment in almost everyone's life when they're standing where the Philistines stood — trying to determine whether what's happening is God or chance. And this story says: God can use even reluctant, crying cows to walk in the direction He chooses.
If God can override the maternal instinct of a cow, He can direct the circumstances of your life. The question isn't whether He can. It's whether you're willing to see it when He does — or whether you'll call it chance.
The Philistines asked an honest question and got an honest answer. Are you willing to do the same?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And see if it goeth up by the way of its own coast to Bethshemesh,.... The nearest city to the land of the Philistines,…
Bethshemesh was the first Israelite town they would come to, being on the border of Judah. (See the marginal reference.)
A chance that happened to us - The word מקרה mikreh, from קרה karah, to meet or coalesce, signifies an event that…
The first words of the chapter tell us how long the captivity of the ark continued - it was in the country of the…
his own coast His own border, as in 1Sa 6:6. See ch. 1Sa 5:6, note. "His" refers to the Ark. The neuter possessive…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture