New English Translation
1 Samuel 7:2
2It was quite a long time – some twenty years in all – that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people of Israel longed for the Lord.
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
1Then the people of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. It was quite a long time – some twenty years in all – that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people of Israel longed for the Lord. 3Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth. They served only the Lord.
Read all of 1 Samuel 71 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 Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.
- Jeremiah 3:13However, you must confess that you have done wrong, and that you have rebelled against the Lord your God. You must confess that you have given yourself to foreign gods under every green tree, and have not obeyed my commands,’ says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 31:9They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”
- Zechariah 12:10“I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn.
- Matthew 5:4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about 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
In the dictionaries
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
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