(10) В¶ And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: (11) And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. (12) And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
Behold! when God works, how wonderful are his works. He ruleth over the minds of men. Here are God's enemies, and the enemies of his church and people, obliged to send home his ark without money and without price: nay, with gold and costly offerings of their own, to beg the acceptance of the very ark again, which seven months before they brought away in triumph, and no doubt concluded that Israel would give half their kingdom for its ransom. But this is not all. God ruleth over the instinct of beasts also. For here are the mulch kine going away from their young, unaccustomed to the yoke, without guide, or driver, or direction, and yet instinctively, as it were, travelling on with their burden to the distance of eight miles at least, neither once missing their way, nor seeking food: and though lowing as they went, by which they intimated their wish for their young, yet never once growing restive, or attempting to turn back to their own home, until that they had accomplished the service to which they were yoked. What but God himself, could have caused such influence? Well might the Prophet exclaim: This also cometh from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. Isaiah 28:29.