1 Samuel 7:2

1 Samuel 7:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath–jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

Context of 1 Samuel 7:2

1So the people of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the Lord and took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill. They consecrated his son Eleazar to take care of it. Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the Lord. 3Samuel told them, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and only worshiped the Lord.

1 Samuel 7:2 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י מִיּ֞וֹם שֶׁ֤בֶת הָֽאָרוֹן֙ בְּקִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֔ים וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיִּנָּה֛וּ כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַחֲרֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, whileיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• abodeיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in Kirjath–jearimקִרְיַת יְעָרִיםqiryath ye‛ârîym qiryath ‛ârîym · Kiriath-jearimH7157
• was longרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• for it was twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• and all the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• lamentedנָהָהnâhâh · to wailH5091
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 7:2

• Judges 2:4When the angel of the Lord had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.
• Jeremiah 3:13Only acknowledge your guilt — you have rebelled against the Lord your God. You have scattered your favors to strangers under every green tree and have not obeyed me. This is the Lord’s declaration.
• Jeremiah 31:9They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation. I will lead them to wadis filled with water, by a smooth way where they will not stumble, for I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
• Zechariah 12:10“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.
• Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 7:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2It was twenty years - This chapter contains the transactions of at least twenty years, but we know not the date of each event.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And all the house of Israel lamented … - The occupation of the country about Shiloh by the Philistines 1 Samuel 7:3 was partly the reason for the ark being kept so long at Kirjath-jearim. But another reason seems to have been the fall of the Israelites into idolatry, which made them neglect the ark, and brought upon them this Philistine servitude; probably the last 20 years of the Philistine oppression described in Judges 13:1, which is there expressly…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Twenty years passed until Samuel gathered the people at Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:5–6). Later, David moved the ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1–19).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim ... twenty years--It appears, in the subsequent history, that a much longer period elapsed before its final removal from Kirjath-jearim (2Sa 6:1-19; 1Ch 13:1-14). But that length of time had passed when the Israelites began to revive from their sad state of religious decline. The capture of the ark had produced a general indifference either as to its loss or its recovery. all the house of Israel lamented after the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 7:2

• Abinadab
• Ark
• Eleazar (Eleazer)
• Kirjath-Jearim
• Revivals

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Abinadab
• David
• Eleazar
• Judges, Book of
• Kirjathjearim
• Samuel
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings