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:
Now then, make a new cart and get two cows that are nursing their calves—cows that have never been used for work. Tie the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and bring them back home.
The Philistines are being told to make a new cart pulled by untrained mother cows whose calves will be taken away from them.
📚 Historical Context
The Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant from Israel, but it brought them plagues and trouble. Their priests and diviners were advising how to return the Ark to Israel in a way that would test whether their misfortunes were truly from Israel's God or just coincidence. Using untrained cows separated from their calves would make it highly unlikely they'd go straight to Israel unless divinely guided.
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