Norwegian 2018 (Bibelen - Guds Ord Hverdagsbibelen (Hermon Forlag))
Nå skal dere lage dere en ny vogn. Velg to melkekuer som aldri har jobbet med seletøy. Spenn kuene foran vognen, men la kalvene deres bli igjen hjemme. Sett kisten med Guds bud på vognen. De gullgjenstandene som dere sender med, skal dere legge i en kiste ved siden av den. Så skal dere la dyrene dra av sted med den. Dersom vognen dras i retning av israelittenes land, Bet-Sjemesj, da forstår vi at dette fæle som har skjedd med oss, er straff til oss fra Israels Gud. Går vognen derimot i en annen retning, var det bare en tilfeldighet at vi skulle rammes av så mye sykdom og død.»
What Does This Mean?
This verse instructs the Philistines to make a new cart and use two milch cows that have never been yoked before. The cows should be harnessed to the cart, and their calves should be kept at home. The speaker is not directly named but is inferred to be a divine voice or through a prophet.
Explained for Children
Imagine you have two mommy cows who have never worked in a field. Now, let’s put them in a special little cart and leave their babies at home. This is like a big test to see if these cows will follow God’s plan on their own.
Historical Background
1 Samuel was written by various authors including the prophet Samuel, Nathan, and Gad. This verse is from the time when the Philistines had captured the ark of the covenant and were trying to return it to the Israelites. The cultural setting includes the practices and beliefs of ancient Near Eastern peoples regarding divine artifacts and omens.
Living It Out Today
In modern times, this can be seen as a reminder to follow God’s instructions even when they seem unusual. For example, if a friend asks you to do something strange to help someone in need, trusting that it will lead to a greater good.
The unyoked cows were chosen because they had not been used for labor, making them a symbol of purity and obedience to divine instructions.
What was the significance of the calves being kept at home?
Keeping the calves at home was meant to test if the cows would go willingly to the Israelites' territory without being forced, indicating divine intervention.
How does this verse relate to faith?
This verse shows that faith involves following God’s specific instructions, even when they are unusual or hard to understand.
What can we learn from this verse in our daily lives?
We can learn to trust and follow God’s guidance, no matter how unconventional it seems, and to do so with pure motives and obedience.