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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

I - Chapter 6

Translation and Transliteration of 

1The Aron of Hashem remained in the territory of the Philistines seven months.

vai-HI a-ROn a-do-NAI bi-s'-DEH f'-lish-TEEM shiv-AH kho-da-SHEEM

אוַיְהִ֧י אֲרוֹן־יְהֹוָ֛ה בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים שִׁבְעָ֥ה חֳדָשִֽׁים׃

2Then the Philistines summoned the priests and the diviners and asked, “What shall we do about the Aron of Hashem? Tell us with what we shall send it off to its own place.”

vai-yik-RE-u f'-lish-TEEM la-ko-HA-neem v'-la-kos-MEEM lay-MOR: ma na-a-SEH la-a-RON a-do-NAI, ho-di-U-nu ba-ME n'-sha-l'-KHE-nu lim-KHO-mo. (s)

בוַיִּקְרְא֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים לַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מַֽה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לַאֲר֣וֹן יְהֹוָ֑ה הוֹדִעֻ֕נוּ בַּמֶּ֖ה נְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃

3They answered, “If you are going to send the Aron of the God of Yisrael away, do not send it away without anything; you must also pay an indemnity to Him. Then you will be healed, and He will make Himself known to you; otherwise His hand will not turn away from you.”

vai-YO-mer-U, im m'-sha-le-KHEEM et a-ROn e-lo-HAY yis-ra-AYL, al t'-sha-le-KHU o-TO ray-KAM, kee-ha-SHEV ta-SHEE-vu LO a-SHAM, AZ tay-ra-FU v'-no-DA la-KHEM, la-MAH lo-ta-SUR ya-DO mi-KHEM.

גוַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אִֽם־מְשַׁלְּחִ֞ים אֶת־אֲר֨וֹן אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אַל־תְּשַׁלְּח֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ רֵיקָ֔ם כִּי־הָשֵׁ֥ב תָּשִׁ֛יבוּ ל֖וֹ אָשָׁ֑ם אָ֤ז תֵּרָֽפְאוּ֙ וְנוֹדַ֣ע לָכֶ֔ם לָ֛מָּה לֹא־תָס֥וּר יָד֖וֹ מִכֶּֽם׃

4They asked, “What is the indemnity that we should pay to Him?” They answered, “Five golden hemorrhoids and five golden mice, corresponding to the number of lords of the Philistines; for the same plague struck all of you and your lords.

vai-YO-mer-U, MA ha-a-SHAM a-SHER na-SHEEV LO? vai-YO-mer-U, mis-PAR sar-NAY f'-lish-TEEM, kha-mi-SHA (OF-LEE) [t'-kho-RAY] za-HAV, va-kha-mi-SHA akh-b'-RAY za-HAV, KEE-ma-GE-fa a-KHAT l'-ku-LAM u-l'-sar-NAY-khem

דוַיֹּאמְר֗וּ מָ֣ה הָאָשָׁם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָשִׁ֣יב לוֹ֒ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ מִסְפַּר֙ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים חֲמִשָּׁה֙ (עפלי) [טְחֹרֵ֣י] זָהָ֔ב וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה עַכְבְּרֵ֣י זָהָ֑ב כִּֽי־מַגֵּפָ֥ה אַחַ֛ת לְכֻלָּ֖ם וּלְסַרְנֵיכֶֽם׃

5You shall make figures of your hemorrhoids and of the mice that are ravaging your land; thus you shall honor the God of Yisrael, and perhaps He will lighten the weight of His hand upon you and your gods and your land.

va-a-see-TEM tza-l'-MAY (of-LAY-khem) [t'-kho-RAY-khem] v'-tza-l'-MAY ak-b'-RAY-khem ha-mash-khee-TEEM et ha-A-retz u-ne-ta-TEM lay-lo-HAY yis-ra-AYL ka-VOHD, u-LAI ya-KEL et ya-DO may-a-LAY-khem u-may-al e-lo-HAY-khem u-may-al ar-t'-KHEM.

הוַעֲשִׂיתֶם֩ צַלְמֵ֨י (עפליכם) [טְחֹרֵיכֶ֜ם] וְצַלְמֵ֣י עַכְבְּרֵיכֶ֗ם הַמַּשְׁחִיתִם֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּנְתַתֶּ֛ם לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כָּב֑וֹד אוּלַ֗י יָקֵ֤ל אֶת־יָדוֹ֙ מֵֽעֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וּמֵעַ֥ל אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם וּמֵעַ֥ל אַרְצְכֶֽם׃

6Don't harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts. As you know, when He made a mockery of them, they had to let Yisrael go, and they departed.

v'-LA-ma t'-kha-VE-du et l'-va-V'-KHEM ka-a-SHER ki-b'-DU mitz-RA-yim u-fa-RO et li-BAHM, ha-LO ka-a-SHER hit-a-LEL ba-HEM va-y'-sha-l'-KHUM va-yay-L'-KHU

ווְלָ֤מָּה תְכַבְּדוּ֙ אֶת־לְבַבְכֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר כִּבְּד֛וּ מִצְרַ֥יִם וּפַרְעֹ֖ה אֶת־לִבָּ֑ם הֲלוֹא֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר הִתְעַלֵּ֣ל בָּהֶ֔ם וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֖וּם וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ׃

7Therefore, get a new cart ready and two milch cows that have not borne a yoke; harness the cows to the cart, but take back indoors the calves that follow them.

v'-a-TAH k'-KHU va-a-SU a-GA-lah kha-da-SHAH e-KHAT u-sh'-TAY pa-ROT a-LOT a-SHER lo-a-LAH a-LE-hem OL va-a-SA-tem et ha-pa-ROT ba-a-GA-lah va-ha-SHEE-vo-tem b'-nei-HEM me-a-kha-RE-hem ha-ba-YE-tah

זוְעַתָּ֗ה קְח֨וּ וַעֲשׂ֜וּ עֲגָלָ֤ה חֲדָשָׁה֙ אֶחָ֔ת וּשְׁתֵּ֤י פָרוֹת֙ עָל֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָלָ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עֹ֑ל וַאֲסַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־הַפָּרוֹת֙ בָּעֲגָלָ֔ה וַהֲשֵׁיבֹתֶ֧ם בְּנֵיהֶ֛ם מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם הַבָּֽיְתָה׃

8Take the Aron of Hashem and place it on the cart; and put next to it in a chest the gold objects you are paying Him as indemnity. Send it off, and let it go its own way.

u-l'-ka-kh'-TEM et-a-ron a-do-NAI u-ne-ta-TEM o-TO el ha-a-ga-LAH v'-ET k'-LEI ha-za-HAV a-SHER ha-she-VO-TEM LO a-SHAM ta-see-MU va-ar-GAZ mit-ZI-DO v'-shi-la-KH'-TEM o-TO v'-ha-LAKH

חוּלְקַחְתֶּ֞ם אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן יְהֹוָ֗ה וּנְתַתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ אֶל־הָ֣עֲגָלָ֔ה וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כְּלֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֲשֵׁבֹתֶ֥ם לוֹ֙ אָשָׁ֔ם תָּשִׂ֥ימוּ בָאַרְגַּ֖ז מִצִּדּ֑וֹ וְשִׁלַּחְתֶּ֥ם אֹת֖וֹ וְהָלָֽךְ׃

9Then watch: If it goes up the road to Beit Shemesh, to His own territory, it was He who has inflicted this great harm on us. But if not, we shall know that it was not His hand that struck us; it just happened to us by chance.”

ur-ee-TEM im DE-rekh g'-vu-LO ya-a-LEH BAYT SHE-mesh HU A-sah LA-nu et ha-ra-AH ha-g'-do-LAH ha-ZOT v'-im LO v'-ya-DA-nu KEE LO ya-DO na-g'-AH BA-nu mik-REH HU HA-yah LA-nu

טוּרְאִיתֶ֗ם אִם־דֶּ֨רֶךְ גְּבוּל֤וֹ יַֽעֲלֶה֙ בֵּ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ ה֚וּא עָ֣שָׂה לָ֔נוּ אֶת־הָרָעָ֥ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את וְאִם־לֹ֗א וְיָדַ֙עְנוּ֙ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָדוֹ֙ נָ֣גְעָה בָּ֔נוּ מִקְרֶ֥ה ה֖וּא הָ֥יָה לָֽנוּ׃

 6:9   To Beit Shemesh

Growing city of Beit Shemesh

Beit Shemesh, west of Yerushalayim, is in the territory of Yehuda (Joshua 15) and is one of the cities set aside for the Leviim. In 1948, the area was significant in the fighting between Arabs and Jews. It was from this area that thirty-five fighters set off to try to rescue the besieged Jewish communities in Gush Etzion. They were discovered and massacred by Arabs before completing their mission. Shortly after the War of Independence, a new Jewish community was built in Beit Shemesh. It was first settled by immigrants from Iran, Iraq and Morocco, and later by a large Russian and Ethiopian population. In more recent years, many North American Jews have made their home in the biblical city of Beit Shemesh.

10The men did so. They took two milch cows and harnessed them to the cart, and shut up their calves indoors.

vai-ya-a-SU ha-a-na-SHEEM KEN va-yik-KHU sh'-TAY pa-ROT a-LOT va-ya-a-S'-RUm ba-a-ga-LAH v'-et b'-NE-hem KA-lu va-ba-YIT

יוַיַּעֲשׂ֤וּ הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ כֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְח֗וּ שְׁתֵּ֤י פָרוֹת֙ עָל֔וֹת וַיַּאַסְר֖וּם בָּעֲגָלָ֑ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם כָּל֥וּ בַבָּֽיִת׃

11They placed the Aron of Hashem on the cart together with the chest, the golden mice, and the figures of their hemorrhoids.

vai-YA-si-MU et-a-ROn a-do-NAI el ha-a-ga-LAH v'-ET ha-ar-GAZ v'-ET akh-b'-REI ha-za-HAV v'-ET tzal-MEI t'-kho-RE-hem

יאוַיָּשִׂ֛מוּ אֶת־אֲר֥וֹן יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־הָעֲגָלָ֑ה וְאֵ֣ת הָאַרְגַּ֗ז וְאֵת֙ עַכְבְּרֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב וְאֵ֖ת צַלְמֵ֥י טְחֹרֵיהֶֽם׃

12The cows went straight ahead along the road to Beit Shemesh. They went along a single highroad, lowing as they went, and turning off neither to the right nor to the left; and the lords of the Philistines walked behind them as far as the border of Beit Shemesh.

vai-yi-SHAR-nah ha-PA-rot ba-DE-rekh al-DE-rekh bayt SHE-mesh bi-msi-LAH a-KHAT ha-LE-khu ha-LOKH v'-GA-o v'-LO-sa-ROO ya-MEEN u-s'-mo-OL v'-sar-NAY p'-lish-TIM ho-LE-khim a-kha-RE-hem ad-GE-vul bayt SHA-mesh

יבוַיִּשַּׁ֨רְנָה הַפָּר֜וֹת בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ עַל־דֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ בֵּ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ בִּמְסִלָּ֣ה אַחַ֗ת הָלְכ֤וּ הָלֹךְ֙ וְגָע֔וֹ וְלֹא־סָ֖רוּ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול וְסַרְנֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ הֹלְכִ֣ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם עַד־גְּב֖וּל בֵּ֥ית שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃

13The people of Beit Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. They looked up and saw the Aron, and they rejoiced when they saw [it].

u-VEIT she-MESH kots-REEM k'-tzeer khee-TEEM ba-EH-mek va-yi-SU et-ay-NE-hem va-yi-RO-u et-ha-a-ROn va-yi-s'-ME-khu lir-OT

יגוּבֵ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ קֹצְרִ֥ים קְצִיר־חִטִּ֖ים בָּעֵ֑מֶק וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֗ם וַיִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אָר֔וֹן וַֽיִּשְׂמְח֖וּ לִרְאֽוֹת׃

14The cart came into the field of Yehoshua of Beit Shemesh and it stopped there. They split up the wood of the cart and presented the cows as a burnt offering to Hashem. A large stone was there;

v'-ha-a-ga-LAH ba-AH el s'-DEH y'-ho-SHU-a bayt-ha-shim-SHI, va-ta-a-MOD SHAM v'-SHAM e-VEN g'-do-LAH, va-y'-va-KE-u et-a-TZEI ha-a-ga-LAH v'-et-ha-pa-ROT he-e-LU o-LAH la-a-do-NAI. (S)

ידוְהָעֲגָלָ֡ה בָּ֠אָה אֶל־שְׂדֵ֨ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בֵּֽית־הַשִּׁמְשִׁי֙ וַתַּעֲמֹ֣ד שָׁ֔ם וְשָׁ֖ם אֶ֣בֶן גְּדוֹלָ֑ה וַֽיְבַקְּעוּ֙ אֶת־עֲצֵ֣י הָעֲגָלָ֔ה וְאֶ֨ת־הַפָּר֔וֹת הֶעֱל֥וּ עֹלָ֖ה לַיהֹוָֽה׃

15and the Leviim took down the Aron of Hashem and the chest beside it containing the gold objects and placed them on the large stone. Then the men of Beit Shemesh presented burnt offerings and other sacrifices to Hashem that day.

v'-hal-vi-YIM ho-REE-du et a-RON a-do-NAI v'-et ha-ar-GAZ a-SHER i-TO, a-SHER-BO k'-LEI-za-HAV, va-ya-si-MU el ha-E-ven ha-ge-do-LAH, va-an-SHEI veit-SHEMESH he-e-LU o-LOt, va-yiz-B'-chu ze-va-KHEEM ba-YOM ha-HU la-do-NAI.

טווְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם הוֹרִ֣ידוּ ׀ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן יְהֹוָ֗ה וְאֶת־הָאַרְגַּ֤ז אֲשֶׁר־אִתּוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֣וֹ כְלֵֽי־זָהָ֔ב וַיָּשִׂ֖מוּ אֶל־הָאֶ֣בֶן הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה וְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵֽית־שֶׁ֗מֶשׁ הֶעֱל֨וּ עֹל֜וֹת וַֽיִּזְבְּח֧וּ זְבָחִ֛ים בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לַיהֹוָֽה׃

16The five lords of the Philistines saw this and returned the same day to Ekron.

va-kha-mi-SHA sar-NEI p'-lish-TEEM ra-U va-ya-SHU-vu ek-RON ba-YOM ha-HU.

טזוַחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה סַרְנֵֽי־פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים רָא֑וּ וַיָּשֻׁ֥בוּ עֶקְר֖וֹן בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃

17The following were the golden hemorrhoids that the Philistines paid as an indemnity to Hashem: For Ashdod, one; for Azza, one; for Ashkelon, one; for Gath, one; for Ekron, one.

v'-AY-leh t'-kho-RAY ha-za-HAV a-SHER he-SHEE-vu f'-lish-TEEM a-SHAM la-a-do-NAI, l'-ash-DOD e-KHAD, l'-a-ZAH e-KHAD, l'-ash-k'-LON e-KHAD, l'-GAT e-KHAD, l'-e-k'-RON e-KHAD.

יזוְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ טְחֹרֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵשִׁ֧יבוּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֛ים אָשָׁ֖ם לַיהֹוָ֑ה לְאַשְׁדּ֨וֹד אֶחָ֜ד לְעַזָּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ לְאַשְׁקְל֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד לְגַ֥ת אֶחָ֖ד לְעֶקְר֥וֹן אֶחָֽד׃

18As for the golden mice, their number accorded with all the Philistine towns that belonged to the five lords—both fortified towns and unwalled villages, as far as the great stone on which the Aron of Hashem was set down, to this day, in the field of Yehoshua of Beit Shemesh.

v'-aKH-be-RAY ha-za-HAV mis-PAR kol-a-REI fe-lish-TIM la-cha-ME-shet ha-se-ra-NEEM me-IR miv-TZAR v'-ad KO-fer ha-pe-ra-ZEE v'-ad a-VEL ha-ge-do-LAH a-SHER hi-NEE-khu a-LE-ha et a-ROn a-do-NAI ad ha-YOM ha-ZEH bi-sdeh y'-ho-SHU-a beit ha-shim-SHEE

יחוְעַכְבְּרֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֗ב מִסְפַּ֞ר כׇּל־עָרֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ לַחֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הַסְּרָנִ֔ים מֵעִ֣יר מִבְצָ֔ר וְעַ֖ד כֹּ֣פֶר הַפְּרָזִ֑י וְעַ֣ד ׀ אָבֵ֣ל הַגְּדוֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִנִּ֤יחוּ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ אֵ֚ת אֲר֣וֹן יְהֹוָ֔ה עַ֚ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בֵּ֥ית הַשִּׁמְשִֽׁי׃

19[Hashem] struck at the men of Beit Shemesh because they looked into the Aron of Hashem; He struck down seventy men among the people [and] fifty thousand men. The people mourned, for He had inflicted a great slaughter upon the population.

vai-YAKH b'-an-SHAY vayt-SHEMESH KEE ra-U ba-a-RON a-do-NAI vay-YAKH ba-AM shi-V'EEM EESH kha-mi-SHEEM e-LEF EESH vai-ta-a-B'-LU ha-AM kee-hi-KHA a-do-NAI ba-AM ma-KA g'-DO-lah

יטוַיַּ֞ךְ בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵֽית־שֶׁ֗מֶשׁ כִּ֤י רָאוּ֙ בַּאֲר֣וֹן יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיַּ֤ךְ בָּעָם֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִ֑ישׁ וַיִּֽתְאַבְּל֣וּ הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־הִכָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּעָ֖ם מַכָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃

20And the men of Beit Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in attendance on Hashem, this holy Hashem? And to whom shall He go up from us?”

va-yo-M'RU an-SHAY vayt-SHEMESH, mee YU-khal la-a-MOD lif-NAY a-do-NAI ha-e-lo-HEEM ha-ka-DOSH ha-ZEH, v'-el-MEE ya-a-LEH me-a-LE-nu

כוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵֽית־שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ מִ֚י יוּכַ֣ל לַעֲמֹ֔ד לִפְנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֧ה הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים הַקָּד֖וֹשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְאֶל־מִ֖י יַעֲלֶ֥ה מֵעָלֵֽינוּ׃

21They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiryat Ye'arim to say, “The Philistines have sent back the Aron of Hashem. Come down and take it into your keeping.”

vai-yish-l'-KHU mal-a-KHEEM el yo-sh'-VAY kir-yat-ye-a-REEM lay-MOR: he-shi-VU f'-lish-TEEYM et a-ROn a-do-NAI, R'-DU ha-a-LU o-TO a-LAY-khem

כאוַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י קִרְיַת־יְעָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵשִׁ֤בוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן יְהֹוָ֔ה רְד֕וּ הַעֲל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃