English Standard Version
1 Samuel 4:20
20And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, "Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son." But she did not answer or pay attention.
1 Samuel 4:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
- New International Version (NIV)As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard it.
- New Living Translation (NLT)She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.
Context of 1 Samuel 4:20
18As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years. 19Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, "Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son." But she did not answer or pay attention. 21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."
Read all of 1 Samuel 41 Samuel 4:20 word by word
וּכְעֵ֣ת מוּתָ֗הּ וַתְּדַבֵּ֙רְנָה֙ הַנִּצָּב֣וֹת עָלֶ֔יהָ אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י כִּ֣י בֵ֣ן יָלָ֑דְתְּ וְלֹ֥א עָנְתָ֖ה וְלֹא־שָׁ֥תָה לִבָּֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And about the timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- of her deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- the women that stoodנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- by her saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto her, Fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- not; for thou hast bornיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- a sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- But she answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- not, neither did she regardלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- not, neither did she regardשִׁיתshîyth · to set: considerH7896
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 4:20
- Genesis 35:17And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son."
- John 16:21When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
- Psalms 77:2In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But she answered not - She paid no attention to what the women had said concerning her having borne a son; that information she regarded not.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-22Verses 19-22 The wife of Phinehas seems to have been a person of piety. Her dying regret was for the loss of the ark, and the departure of the glory from Israel. What is any earthly joy to her that feels herself dying? No joy but that which is spiritual and divine, will stand in any stead then; death is too serious a thing to admit the relish of any earthly joy. What is it to one that is lamenting the loss of the ark? What pleasure can we take in our…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21The name Ichabod includes the Hebrew word kabod, meaning glory (see Exodus 24:15–17). A similar word describes Eli in 1 Samuel 4:18 (Hebrew kabed, meaning heavy). The ark's disappearance mirrors the fall of Eli’s family. The Israelites lost divine glory and protection (compare Ezekiel 8–10; Luke 19:41–44; 21:20–24), but God's glorious presence would later return to them (1 Samuel 6:1–21; compare Ezekiel 43:1–8).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 4:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries