1 Samuel 6:12 Meaning and Explanation
“And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Against all instinct the cows walk straight to Bethshemesh, lowing for their calves yet never turning aside, with the Philistine lords following behind.
What Does 1 Samuel 6:12 Mean?
The test yields its verdict. The untrained cows, separated from their calves, take the straight road to Bethshemesh, never veering right or left. They low mournfully for the young they have left behind, yet their bodies move steadily away from them, an unmistakable sign that an unseen hand directs their steps. The astonished Philistine lords trail behind to the very border.
Their lowing makes the wonder all the more vivid: every natural urge pulls one way, yet the animals go another, because God overrules even the deepest instincts of His creatures. He can hold a straight course through a world that pulls hard in every direction. To turn not aside to the right hand or to the left is, throughout Scripture, the very picture of faithfulness, here written out by two grieving cows under the steady governance of God.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 6:12
What does 1 Samuel 6:12 mean?
Against all instinct the cows walk straight to Bethshemesh, lowing for their calves yet never turning aside, with the Philistine lords following behind.