Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 6:12
Verse 12. Lowing as they went] Calling for their calves. 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.
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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh , etc.] 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” f124 ; 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 ( Judges 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 f125 , 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, ( 1 Samuel 6:15), (see Gill on “ Joshua 21:16”).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-18 - These two kine knew their owner, their great Owner, whom Hophin an Phinehas knew not. God's providence takes notice even of brut creatures, and serves its own purposes by them. When the reapers saw the ark, they rejoiced; their joy for that was greater than the joy of harvest. The return of the ark, and the revival of holy ordinances after days of restraint and trouble, are matters of great joy.
Original Hebrew
וישׁרנה 3474 הפרות 6510 בדרך 1870 על 5921 דרך 1870 בית שׁמשׁ 1053 במסלה 4546 אחת 259 הלכו 1980 הלך 1980 וגעו 1600 ולא 3808 סרו 5493 ימין 3225 ושׂמאול 8040 וסרני 5633 פלשׁתים 6430 הלכים 1980 אחריהם 310 עד 5704 גבול 1366 בית שׁמשׁ׃ 1053
