15. The Levites took down the Lord’s ark, and the box that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to the Lord.
16. When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17. These are the golden tumours which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to the Lord: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18. and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, on which they set down the Lord’s ark. That stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
19. He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the Lord’s ark, he struck fifty thousand and seventy of the men. Then the people mourned, because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
20. The men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?”
21. They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the Lord’s ark. Come down, and bring it up to yourselves.”