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1 Samuel 6:7
ESV Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them.
NIV Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.
NASB Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves back home, away from them.
CSB "Now then, prepare one new cart and two milk cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.
NLT Now build a new cart, and find two cows that have just given birth to calves. Make sure the cows have never been yoked to a cart. Hitch the cows to the cart, but shut their calves away from them in a pen.
KJV Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:

What does 1 Samuel 6:7 mean?

It seems certain that most Philistines understood the plague was sent by the Lord God of Israel, because they held His ark captive in their territory (1 Samuel 5:6–12; 6:2). However, others wondered if it was all a coincidence (1 Samuel 6:9). Would they have experienced all the same suffering even without the ark of the Lord in their land?

The priests and diviners produced a test to find out which was true. The first step was to build a new cart to carry the ark. This was done out of respect for the ark of the Lord. They likely did the same when transporting idols of Dagon (1 Samuel 5:2–5).

The real test, though, involved selecting two milk cows that had never been harnessed to pull the cart. The calves belonging to the cows were to be left at a home, something the cows would not like. Normally, without any human direction or experience of being yoked to a cart, the milk cows would be expected to head for home to take care of their calves. If, instead, they headed for the border with Israel, the priests would take it as evidence that the plague had truly come from the Lord (1 Samuel 6:9).
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