God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 4:21
21She called the boy Ichabod [No Glory], saying, “Israel’s glory is gone,” because the ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and her husband ⌞died⌟.
1 Samuel 4:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And she named the child I–chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
- New International Version (NIV)She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then 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.
Context of 1 Samuel 4:21
19His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor prematurely and gave birth to a son. 20As she was dying, the women helping her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son.” But she didn’t answer or pay attention. She called the boy Ichabod [No Glory], saying, “Israel’s glory is gone,” because the ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and her husband ⌞died⌟. 22“Israel’s glory is gone because the ark of God has been captured,” she said.
Read all of 1 Samuel 41 Samuel 4:21 word by word
וַתִּקְרָ֣א לַנַּ֗עַר אִֽי־כָבוֹד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר גָּלָ֥ה כָב֖וֹד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֶל־הִלָּקַח֙ אֲר֣וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְאֶל־חָמִ֖יהָ וְאִישָֽׁהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And she namedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- the childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- I–chabodאִי־כָבוֹד'îy-kâbôd · IchabodH350
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- The gloryכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- is departedגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: removeH1540
- from Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- becauseאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- was takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- and because of her father in lawחָםchâm · father-in-lawH2524
- and her husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 4:21
- Psalms 26:8O Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.
- Psalms 78:61He allowed his power to be taken captive and handed his glory over to an oppressor.
- Psalms 106:20They traded their glorious God for the statue of a bull that eats grass.
- Jeremiah 2:11Has any nation ever exchanged gods? (Their gods aren’t really gods.) Yet, my people have exchanged their Glory for something that doesn’t help them.
- Hosea 9:12Even if they bring up children, I will take those children away before they grow up. Yes, how horrible it will be for them when I leave them.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21She named the child I-chabod - The versions are various on the original words כבוד I-chabod; the Septuagint, ouaibrachaboth ; the Syriac, yochobor ; the Arabic, yochabad . But none of these give us much light on the subject. It is pretty evident they did not know well what signification to give the name; and we are left to collect its meaning from what she says afterwards, The glory is departed from Israel; the words literally mean, Where is the glory?…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Is departed - Properly, “Is gone into captivity.”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 4:21
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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