שמואל א, פרק ו׳, פסוק י״ד

The miraculous journey of the cart carrying the Ark of God reaches its final destination, culminating in an act of worship. Guided by Divine providence, the cart turns off the main path and enters the field of a man named Joshua, a resident of the city of Beth-shemesh [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Its precise stopping point is no accident; it comes to a halt beside a massive stone that God had prepared in advance to serve as a resting place for the Ark [מלבי״ם].

The wooden cart is then chopped up, and the cows that pulled it are offered as a sacrifice to God. The identity of those who perform this offering is a matter of discussion. One perspective suggests that the residents of Beth-shemesh build an altar on the spot and offer the sacrifice themselves [רד״ק, רלב״ג]. However, another approach argues that the Philistine lords actually command the offering. Since the cart and the cows belong to them, the local Israelites would not have taken and sacrificed this property without explicit permission [מלבי״ם]. This view is supported by the legal difficulty of Israelites sacrificing animals that belong to idolaters, leading to the conclusion that the Philistines themselves perform the offering [רד״ק].

The sacrifice of the cows presents an additional legal challenge, as standard elevation offerings are required to be male animals, and sacrifices must generally take place within the Tabernacle. This deviation is explained by the historical context. Following the destruction of Shiloh, the use of private, individual altars becomes legally permissible, and on such altars, female animals may be offered. Alternatively, if the Israelites are indeed the ones who offer the sacrifice, the event is understood as a temporary, exceptional ruling driven by the unique circumstances of the moment [רד״ק].