1. And the ark of Jehovah is in the field of the Philistines seven months,
2. and the Philistines call for priests and for diviners, saying, `What do we do to the ark of Jehovah? let us know wherewith we send it to its place?'
3. And they say, `If ye are sending away the ark of the God of Israel, ye do not send it away empty; for ye do certainly send back to Him a guilt-offering; then ye are healed, and it hath been known to you why His hand doth not turn aside from you.'
4. And they say, `What [is] the guilt-offering which we send back to Him?' and they say, `The number of the princes of the Philistines--five golden emerods, and five golden mice--for one plague [is] to you all, and to your princes,
5. and ye have made images of your emerods, and images of your mice that are corrupting the land, and have given honour to the God of Israel; it may be He doth lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land;
6. and why do ye harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? do they not--when He hath rolled Himself upon them--send them away, and they go?