Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed?
"Milch" cows (1 Samuel 6:7; 1 Samuel 6:10) are cows that are still nursing their calves. It would be very unusual for nursing cows to leave their young and head for a town some 10 miles away. Indeed the Philistines regarded this behavior as miraculous and indicative that Yahweh had been punishing them.