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

1The men of Kiriath Jearim came to take the Lord’s ark and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. They gave Abinadab’s son Eleazar the holy occupation of guarding the Lord’s ark. A long time passed after the ark came to stay at Kiriath Jearim. For 20 years the entire nation of Israel mournfully sought the Lord. 3Samuel told the entire nation of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord wholeheartedly, get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. Make a commitment to the Lord, and serve only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites got rid of the statues of Baal and Astarte and served only 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 2:4While the Messenger of the Lord was saying this to all the people of Israel, they began to cry loudly.
• Jeremiah 3:13Admit that you’ve done wrong! You have rebelled against the Lord your God. You have given yourself to strangers under every large tree. You have not obeyed me,’ declares the Lord.
• Jeremiah 31:9They will cry as they return. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams on a level path where they will not stumble. I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be my firstborn.
• Zechariah 12:10“I will pour out the Spirit of blessing and mercy on David’s family and on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look at me, whom they have stabbed. Then they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they will cry bitterly for him as one cries for a firstborn son.
• Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn. They will be comforted.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10In fact, to be distressed in a godly way causes people to change the way they think and act and leads them to be saved. No one can regret that. But the distress that the world causes brings only 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