16. When the five Philistine rulers witnessed this, they went straight back to Ekron.
17. These are the gold tumors that the Philistines returned as a compensation offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron.
18. The gold mice matched the number of Philistine cities belonging to the five rulers, from fortified cities to country villages. And the large stone they set the Lord’s chest on is a witness even now in the field that belongs to Joshua of Beth-shemesh.
19. But God struck down some of the people from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Lord’s chest. God struck seventy people, and the community grieved because the Lord had struck them so severely.
20. The people of Beth-shemesh said, "Who can stand before the Lord, this holy God? Where can he go that is away from us here?"
21. They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim. "The Philistines returned the Lord’s chest!" they said. "Come down and take it back with you."