1 Samuel 6 · Verse 9

1 Samuel 6:9

And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth–shemesh, 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.
1 Samuel 6:9, King James Version

1 Samuel 6:9 in other translations

BSBbut keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.”
WEBBehold, if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil; but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us. It was a chance that happened to us.”
ASVAnd see; if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, 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.
YLTand ye have seen, if the way of its own border it goeth up to Beth-Shemesh--He hath done to us this great evil; and if not, then we have known that His hand hath not come against us; an accident it hath been to us.'
DARBYAnd see, if it go up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, it is he who has done us this great evil; if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that touched us; it was a chance that happened to us.
BBEIf it goes by the land of Israel to Beth-shemesh, then this great evil is his work; but if not, then we may be certain that the evil was not his doing, but was the working of chance.
WebsterAnd see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, 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.

What does 1 Samuel 6:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 6:9-12
9-12. Beth-shemesh--that is, "house of the sun," now Ain Shems [Robinson], a city of priests in Judah, in the southeast border of Dan, lying in a beautiful and extensive valley. Josephus says they were set a-going near a place where the road divided into two--the one leading back to Ekron, where were their calves, and the other to Beth-shemesh. Their frequent lowings attested their ardent longing for their young, and at the same time the supernatural influence that controlled their movements in a contrary direction.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 A chance that happened to us - The word מקרה mikreh, from קרה karah, to meet or coalesce, signifies an event that naturally arises from such concurring causes as, in the order and nature of things, must produce it. Thus a bad state of the atmosphere, putrid exhalations, bad diet, occasioned by any general scarcity, might have produced the disease in question; and to something of this kind they would attribute it, if the other evidences did not concur. This gives us the proper notion of chance; and shows us that it is a matter as dependent upon the Divine providence, as any thing can be: in short, that these occurrences are parts of the Divine government. The word chance, though often improperly used to signify such an occurrence as is not under the Divine government, is of itself, not only simple, but expressive; and has nearly the meaning of the Hebrew word: it comes from the French cheoir, or escheoir, to fall out, to occur, to fall to. Hence our law-term escheat, any lands that fall to the lord of the manor by forfeiture, or for want of heirs: i.e., these are the occurrences which naturally throw the lands into the hands of the lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 6:1-9

Seven months the Philistines were punished with the presence of the ark; so long it was a plague to them, because they would not send it home sooner. Sinners lengthen out their own miseries by refusing to part with their sins. The Israelites made no effort to recover the ark. Alas! where shall we find concern for religion prevail above all other matters? In times of public calamity we fear for ourselves, for our…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 6:1-9 →

1 Samuel 6:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּרְאִיתֶ֗םu.re.'i.Temand you will seeH7200
אִם\־'im-ifH518
דֶּ֨רֶךְDe.rekh[the] way ofH1870
גְּבוּל֤וֹge.vu.Loown territory itsH1366
יַֽעֲלֶה֙ya.'a.Lehit will go upH5927
בֵּ֣יתbeitBethH1053
שֶׁ֔מֶשׁShe.meshShemeshH1053
ה֚וּאhu'heH1931
עָ֣שָׂה'A.sahhe has doneH6213
לָ֔נוּLa.nuto <the> us
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָרָעָ֥הha.ra.'Ahthe harmH7451
הַגְּדוֹלָ֖הha.ge.do.Lah<the> greatH1419
הַזֹּ֑אתha.Zot<the> thisH2063
וְאִם\־ve.'im-and ifH518
לֹ֗אLo'notH3808
וְיָדַ֙עְנוּ֙ve.ya.Da'.nuand we will knowH3045
כִּ֣יkithatH3588
לֹ֤אlo'notH3808
יָדוֹ֙ya.Dohand hisH3027
נָ֣גְעָהNa.ge.'ahit touchedH5060
בָּ֔נוּBa.nu<in> <the> us
מִקְרֶ֥הmik.RehchanceH4745
ה֖וּאhu'itH1931
הָ֥יָהHa.yahit happenedH1961
לָֽנוּ\׃La.nuto <the> us

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 6:9

  • Joshua 21:16

    And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth–shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

  • Luke 10:31

    And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

  • Joshua 15:10

    And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth–shemesh, and passed on to Timnah:

  • Ecclesiastes 9:11

    I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

  • 1 Samuel 6:3

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 1:6

    And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

  • Amos 3:6

    Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

  • Isaiah 26:11

    Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Beth-shemesh.
Jos 15:10; 21:16
he. or, it.
Am 3:6
we shall.
3
not his hand.
Isa 26:11
a chance.
2Sa 1:6; Ec 9:11; Lu 10:31

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 6:8

    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.

  • 1 Samuel 6:9

    And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth–shemesh, 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.

  • 1 Samuel 6:10

    And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:

Read all of 1 Samuel 6

1 Samuel 6:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y mirad: si sube por el camino de su término á Beth-semes, él nos ha hecho este mal tan grande; y si no, seremos ciertos que su mano no nos hirió, nos ha sido accidente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et vous verrez: si elle monte par le chemin de sa frontière, vers Beth-Shémesh, c’est lui qui nous a fait ce grand mal; sinon, nous saurons que ce n’est pas sa main qui nous a frappés, mais que c’est une chose accidentelle qui nous est arrivée.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sehet zu: wenn sie den Weg nach ihrer Grenze hinaufgeht, nach Beth-Semes hin, so hat er uns dieses große Übel getan; wenn aber nicht, so wissen wir, daß nicht seine Hand uns geschlagen hat: ein Zufall ist es uns gewesen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et aspicietis: et si quidem per viam finium suorum ascenderit contra Bethsames, ipse fecit nobis hoc malum grande: sin autem, minime: sciemus quia nequaquam manus ejus tetigit nos, sed casu accidit.