The answer is: It was carried on a cart pulled by cows

1 Samuel 6:10-12 - The cows pulled the cart along the road to Beth Shemesh

The return of the ark of the covenant holds a unique place in biblical history and raises a lot of intriguing questions about reverence, divinity, and even practical logistics! After being captured by the Philistines, the ark brought them nothing but trouble. It seems that divine displeasure can have quite the dramatic effect, as detailed in 1 Samuel 5, where the gods of the Philistines suffered severe, bewildering misfortunes.

When it came time to return the ark (good luck with keeping that in your city), the strategy was pragmatic yet deeply symbolic—cows were hitched to a cart, demonstrating an unintended kindness from the Philistines. Interestingly, these were cows with no prior experience in pulling a cart, suggesting a “test” for divine intervention. If they went stray and back to their calves, it signified an ill intent. Instead, they made their way steadily to Beth Shemesh, showcasing a kind of involuntary tribute to Israel's God.

Beth Shemesh, ironically, sits atop a solar-related name, meaning "the house of the sun." This became a pivotal site, not just for harvesting crops but also for the miraculous unfolding surrounding the ark's return. In 2 Samuel, when David brings the ark to Jerusalem, we fast forward this fantastic divine drama, causing historians and writers alike to marvel at the lengths people will go to preserve what seemed to be unearthly—the mere presence of the ark sparked awe across nations! Such episodes in scripture remind us how intertwined the mundane and the divine truly are.