Teks -- 1 Samuel 6:12 (NET)

6:12 Then the cows went directly on the road to Beth Shemesh. They went along, mooing as they went; they turned neither to the right nor to the left. The leaders of the Philistines were walking along behind them all the way to the border of Beth Shemesh.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: 1Sa 6:12 - Beth

shemesh - A city of the priests, who were by office to take care of it.

Wesley: 1Sa 6:12 - Loving

Testifying at once both their natural and vehement inclination to their calves, and the supernatural power which over - ruled them to a contrary course.

Wesley: 1Sa 6:12 - The lords went

To prevent all imposture, and to get assurance of the truth of the event. All which circumstances tended to the greater illustration of God's glory.

JFB: 1Sa 6:9-12 - 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.

JFB: 1Sa 6:12 - the lords of the Philistines went after them

To give their tribute of homage, to prevent imposture, and to obtain the most reliable evidence of the truth. The result of this journey tended to their own deeper humiliation, and the greater illustration of God's glory.

Clarke: 1Sa 6:12 - Lowing as they went

Lowing as they went - Calling for their calves

Clarke: 1Sa 6:12 - To the right hand or to the left

To the right hand or to the left - Some think they were placed where two roads met; one going to Ekron, the other to Beth-shemesh. It is possible that they were put in such circumstances as these for the greater certainty of the affair: to have turned from their own homes, from their calves and known pasture, and to have taken the road to a strange country, must argue supernatural influence

Clarke: 1Sa 6:12 - The lords of the Philistines went after

The lords of the Philistines went after - They were so jealous in this business that they would trust no eyes but their own. All this was wisely ordered, that there might be the fullest conviction of the being and interposition of God.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 1Sa 6:12 - To the way of Beth-shemesh // Lowing as they went // The lords of the Philistines

To the way of Beth-shemesh i.e. leading to Beth-shemesh, a city of the priests, Jos 21:16 , who were by office to take care of it.

Lowing as they went testifying at once both their natural and vehement inclination to their calves, and the supernatural and Divine power which overruled them to a contrary course.

The lords of the Philistines went after them, under pretence of an honourable dismission of it; but in truth, to prevent all imposture, and to get assurance of the truth of the event; all which circumstances tended to their greater confusion, and illustration of God’ s glory.

Gill: 1Sa 6:12 - And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh // and went along the highway // lowing // and turned not aside to the right or to the left // and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh

And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh,.... Though they had none to drive, lead, or guide them, yet they steered their course to the road that led to Bethshemesh, though there were other ways they might have taken; which shows they were under the direction of God himself:

and went along the highway; or, "in one highway", or "post" ^t; though they had never been used to a yoke, they drew together in one path; and did not draw one way, and another another, as oxen unaccustomed to a yoke do:

lowing as they went; on account of their calves, which showed their sense of them, and their natural affection for them; and yet went on, did not attempt to go back to them; by which it was plain they were under a supernatural influence:

and turned not aside to the right or to the left; when other ways presented, on the right hand or on the left; they kept going straight on in the road that led to the place they were destined for; all which can be reckoned nothing less than a miracle:

and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh; not before them to guide them, or on the side of the ark to take care of it, but behind: and not at all out of respect and reverence to it, but to see what would be the issue of things, whether it would turn out an imposture or not; and that they might be able to make a true judgment of what had befallen them, as their priests and diviners had directed them to; they followed it until it was out of their territories, and in the hands of the Israelites. This place Bethshemesh is thought by some, as R. Isaiah observes, to be the same with Timnathheres, where Joshua was buried, in Jdg 2:9, which signifies the figure of the sun, as this does the house of the sun; and where, perhaps, when inhabited by the Canaanites, was a temple of the sun; and it was, according to Bunting ^u, twelve miles from Ekron, from whence the ark came; and so far it was followed by the Philistines. This was a city given to the Levites, and so a proper place for the ark to come to be taken care of; hence mention is made of Levites that took it down from the cart, 1Sa 6:15; see Gill on Jos 21:16.