V.1-9 The false priests among the Philistines try to decide what to do. Afraid to keep it any longer, they don’t know just how to send it back. At last they put the ark on a new cart, drawn by two cows, and a box of golden gifts sent along with it. God directed those cows to leave their calves, an unnatural thing and to walk slowly back toward the land of Israel.
V.14-15 These cows pulled the cart with its wonderful burden, right into the field of a man named Joshua, an Israelite. He, and those with him, at once offered a sacrifice to the Lord.
V.19 A sad note, and a warning. Do you remember something about this wonderful ark? it was a large box of wood, covered with gold, and inside it were the two stones on which the ten commandments were written. Covering the ark, was the mercy seat, made of pure gold, with two cherubim (like angels) on it. Now in order to look into the ark, they would have to lift that covering (mercy seat). This of course, would expose the ten commandments. See how many died for doing this. For us, it would be like intruding beyond what has been told us of the Person of Christ (see Matt. 11:2727All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)).