interesting to see what happens next.”
The two young men did not have long to wait to find out what was to happen next. Both men were called that evening by their commanding officers to take messages to lords of the Philistines. All the lords were asked to gather to help the city decide what to do with the Ark of the Israelites.
When Nahath and Jalam met the next day both men were tired from traveling so far in such a short time.
“I hear the lords have decided to send the Ark of the Covenant to the city of Gath,” Nahath said.
“I’m sure they are going to want it,” Jalam said sarcastically. “Specially if it is the cause of all these tumors.”
“That is true, it could be the cause,” Nahath stated thoughtfully. “But we aren’t Israelites, we haven’t been told how to handle it respectfully. It isn’t our God who lives inside. Why would He torment us?”
“Nahath, Jalam. Our commanding officer wants us at his office as soon as we can get there in uniform and ready for a journey,” Kenaz their fellow soldier told them interrupting Nahath’s thoughts.
“What can it mean?” Jalam asked.
“I don’t know but we’d better hurry,” Nahath said and they ran to their homes.
Over the next several months Nahath and Jalam along with a few more soldiers were ordered to take the Ark of the Covenant first to Gath then to Ekron. When the people of the city of Ekron saw the Ark coming they cried out against it.
“No, No! Do not bring that Ark of the Israelites here. We have heard of the tumors and sickness that comes with it. We do not want it here.”
Nahath listened to the complaints of the people of Ekron. “They must think the God of the Israelites is responsible for all this trouble,” Nahath said. “They don’t even want it to come into their city.”
“Yeah,” said Jalam. “It must have something to do with that respect thing you keep talking about; us not respecting the God of the Israelites in the Ark. How are we to know how to treat it with respect?” Nahath shrugged.
Again the lords of the Philistines gathered to decide what to do with the Ark of the Covenant.
“I heard today the lords have decided to send the Ark of the Covenant back where it belongs,” Jalam informed Nahath as they lay in their tent outside the city of Ekron.
“How are they suppose to do that?” Nahath asked his friend.
“I don’t know yet. They have called for the priests and the diviners to ask them,” Jalam said.
“Well I hope it will be soon. That Ark has been in Philistia seven months and look what it’s done. There is a deadly confusion on many people and of course the tumors and mice. Everyone in each city where the Ark is has been affected,” Nahath replied.
“Well no one knows for sure the tumors and confusion is because of the Ark,” Jalam stated.
“How can you think it isn’t,” Nahath said grouchily. “It’s only where the Ark is that the people are sick. I’m glad neither of us have gotten sick but I am so tired of hauling that thing around and living out of a tent. I’m ready to go home.”
“Me too. Besides there’s nothing to do when we are away from home. Maybe we will know more tomorrow.
Nahath was surprised at midmorning when Jalam came running into their tent.
“Guess what?” he said in great excitement. “They are going to build a new cart and send the Ark back to Israel in it.”
“Is that all?”
“Now just listen!” Jalam exclaimed frowning at his friend for interrupting him. “They are going to make five golden tumors and five golden mice, one for each of the lords, and send those along as a guilt offering. Maybe that will appease the Israelite’s God.”
“That is something,” Nahath exclaimed. “Is that all?”
“No,” Jalam said out of breath. “They want to know if the God of the Israelites has caused all this trouble for us so they are going to yoke two milk cows to the cart that have never pulled a cart before. Then they are going to put their calves in a barn so the cows can’t see them.”
“When are they going to do all this?” Nahath interrupted Jalam. He was confused about all the preparations and was tired of hearing about milk cows.
“They are about ready now,” Jalam stated. “Let’s go watch.”
Quickly the men ran to the place where the cart sat. The cows were being hitched to the cart but it was not an easy task for the farmers. The cows were straining against the harnesses trying to follow the men who had taken away their calves. There was loud mooing coming from down the road and the cows answered loudly in return.
“Look,” Nahath shouted to Jalam. “There’s the Ark being placed on the cart. They sure are handling it carefully.”
“I would too if I had to carry it,” returned Jalam. “There’s the other box that has the five gold tumors and the five gold mice. I hope their God is satisfied with that guilt offering.”
“Look,” Nahath shouted, “they are turning the cows loose. Why are they doing that. They will just go looking for their calves.”
“That is the whole test,” Jalam explained. “If the cows go up to Israel by the way of the Arks territory, to Beth-shemesh, then we will know the God of Israel has done us this great evil. But if they go the other way then we will know all this happened to us by chance.”
The crowd grew quiet as the cows pulling the cart neared the fork in the road. Would they go to Beth-shemesh or would they wander off looking for their calves?
“You know those cows are going to go looking for their calves,” Nahath whispered to Jalam. “That’s what cows naturally do.”
“That’s right,” Jalam whispered back. “If they go to Beth-shemesh we will know the God of the Israelites was leading them that way. Look! They are taking the road to Beth-shemesh.”
“That is unbelievable!” Nahath exclaimed. “Let’s go. The crowd is following them.”
After walking to the border of Beth-shemesh everyone stopped.
“Look,” Jalam said, “the cows have stopped in that field where those men are working.”
“They sure act happy to get their Ark back,” Nahath said. “Do you hear the lords? They are telling everyone to go back. I heard our commanding officer tell all the soldiers to be ready in case the Israelites are so joyful they decide to attack us.. Now they have their God they may have their courage back.” Nahath and Jalam turned and started on the road to Ekron.
“The God of the Israelites must be a powerful God to be able to control those cows,” Jalam said with wonder in his voice.
“I agree. I have never seen anything like it,” Nahath said. “He must be a very powerful God. He made so many people in Philistia confused and have tumors. How did He do that? He must be one powerful God.”
Nahath and Jalam were tired the next day. All of the soldiers were ordered to stand guard all night. They could see the fires of the Israelites as they made sacrifices for the return of the Ark of the Covenant. Once in awhile the soldiers could hear a shout over the distance.
As the day wore on the commanding officers saw the Israelites were not going to attack so ordered several of the men to go home, including Nahath and Jalam.
As they walked around the market buying the supplies they would need for their journey home they heard strange rumors.
“Nahath, did you hear that many Israelites died because they looked inside the Ark?” Jalam asked, puzzled.
“Yes and it’s true,” Nahath stated. “A traveler came through Israel and they are in mourning. He said fifty thousand seventy people were killed because they looked inside the Ark. That is a lot of people.”
“It seems strange their God would kill His own people,” Jalam said. “I can see why the Israelite God would make our people sick and die, we are their enemy. But why would He kill the Israelites?”
“I think theirs is a God to be respected,” Nahath stated. “He gave us trouble because we are enemies of the Israelites. But He had told Hi
s people how to handle the Ark of the Covenant. They knew how to transport it and what to do and what not to do. They knew not to open the Ark and look inside so He punished them. What did they expect? That is a God to be respected.” Nahath smiled at his friend.
“The God of the Israelites certainly has my respect,” Nahath stated firmly.
“Mine too!” Jalam declared.
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