1 Samuel 6:9

“And see if it goeth up by the way of its own coast to Bethshemesh, etc.] The nearest city to the land of the Philistines, which lay on their borders, and the borders of the tribe of Judah, (see Gill on “<061510>Joshua 15:10”). Now the lords of the Philistines are directed by their priests to observe, whether these kine, that drew the cart on which the ark was, took the direct road to the borders of the land of Israel, and to Bethshemesh, the nearest city that lay on that coast: if so, they might conclude then, he hath done us this great evil; that is, the God of Israel, whose ark this was; he had inflicted the disease of the emerods on them, and sent such numbers of mice into their fields,…”

“Beth-shemesh--that is, "house of the sun," now Ain Shems [ROBINSON], a city of priests in Judah, in the southeast border of Dan, lying in a beautiful and extensive valley. JOSEPHUS says they were set a-going near a place where the road divided into two--the one leading back to Ekron, where were their calves, and the other to Beth-shemesh. Their frequent lowings attested their ardent longing for their young, and at the same time the supernatural influence that controlled their movements in a contrary direction.”

“Bethshemesh was the first Israelite town they would come to, being on the border of Judah. (See the marginal reference.) return to 'Top of Page'”

“His own coast - Or Border, that is, the way that leadeth to his coast, or border, namely, the country to which it belongs. Then he, &c. - Which they might well conclude, if such heifers should against their common use, and natural instinct, go into a strange path, and regularly and constantly proceed in it, without any man's conduct. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 6:12”

“6:9 Beth-shemesh was the closest Israelite town to Ekron (5:10).”

“Bethshemesh: Jos 15:10, Jos 21:16 he: or, it, Amo 3:6 we shall: Sa1 6:3 not his hand: Isa 26:11 a chance: Sa2 1:6; Ecc 9:11; Luk 10:31 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 6:11”