1 Samuel 4:20

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of 1 Samuel 4:20

18As soon as he mentioned of the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the town gate. His neck broke and he died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel 40 years. 19Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child and about to deliver. When she heard the report that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she crouched down and gave birth because she was seized with her labor pains. As she was dying, the women attending her said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have brought forth a son!” But she did not respond or take it to heart. 21Then she named the child Ichabod saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22So she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken!”

1 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 35:17While she was struggling to give birth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for this is also a son for you.”
• John 16:21“When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her hour has come. But when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of the joy that a human being has been born into the world.
• Psalms 77:2My voice to God—and I cried out, my voice to God—and He heard me!

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

• Ark
• Judgments
• Parents
• Patriotism

In the dictionaries

• Glory
• Ichabod
• Mean
• Pain
• Philistines
• Tabernacle
• Tumult
• Ark of the Covenant
• Exodus, the Book of
• God

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