1 Samuel 4:19-22 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19-22

We have here another melancholy story, that carries on the desolations of Eli's house, and the sorrowful feeling which the tidings of the ark's captivity excited. It is concerning the wife of Phinehas, one of those ungracious sons of Eli that had brought all this mischief on Israel. It cost her her life, though young, as well as that of her father-in-law, that was old; for many a green head, as well as many a hoary head, has been brought by sorrow to the grave: it worketh death. By what is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19

And his daughter in law, Phinehas's wife, was with child, near to be delivered ,.... Was near her time, as it is commonly expressed. Ben Gersom derives the word from a root which signifies to complete and finish F11 כלה "absolvere, consummare, perficere", Buxtorf. ; denoting that her time to bring forth was completed and filled up; though Josephus F12 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 3.) sect. 4. says that it was a seven months' birth, so that she came two months before her time;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:20

And about the time of her death ,.... Which quickly came on after she was brought to bed: the women that stood by her ; who were called to her labour, and assisted at it: said unto her, fear not, for thou hast born a son ; perceiving that she was very low spirited, endeavoured to cheer and comfort her, by observing to her that the worst was over; and besides she had brought forth a man child, which was usually matter of joy to a family, and particularly to the woman that bears it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:21

And she named the child Ichabod ,.... Which some render, "where is the glory?" as in the margin of our Bibles; but it signifies "no glory", as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; her husband being dead, she gives her child its name; the reason for which name follows: saying, the glory is departed from Israel : the God of glory, or the glorious Lord, was departed from Israel; the ark, the symbol of his presence, being taken from them, and carried captive by the enemy; see Psalm 78:61 . ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:22

And she said ,.... Repeating what she had said before, for the confirmation of it, or as correcting what the women had said; and so may be rendered: but she said ; giving her own and only reason for the name of the child: the glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken ; so when the word, worship, and ordinances of God are removed from a people, the glory is gone from them; the God of glory is no more seen among them, who is so glorious in his nature, perfections, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:19

And his daughter-in-law - This is another very affecting story; the defeat of Israel, the capture of the ark, the death of her father-in-law, and the slaughter of her husband, were more than a woman in her circumstances, near the time of her delivery could bear. She bowed, travailed, was delivered of a son, gave the child a name indicative of the ruined state of Israel, and expired! read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:20

But 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 more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:21

She named the child I-chabod - The versions are various on the original words כבוד I-chabod; the Septuagint, ουαιβαρχαβωθ 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? And... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19-21

His daughter-in-law. The death of Eli's daughter-in-law is equally tragic with his own. The news of the terrible calamity that had befallen the ark of God brought on a premature delivery; but when she had given birth to a son, the attendant women naturally hoped that the good tidings would cheer the mother's heart. They haste, therefore, to tell her; but she answered not, neither did she regard it. This does not mean that she was already dead; if so, the women would not have told her. It... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19-22

Ichabod. The facts given are— 1 . The wife of Phinehas, hearing the sad tidings of Israel's disaster and of the death of her husband and of Eli, suffers premature labour. 2 . The loss of the ark of God contributes more to her anguish of spirit than does the sudden death of her nearest relatives. 3 . She deliberately refuses the most natural of all consolations. 4 . When dying she gives a name to her child that shall express her sense of the calamity fallen on Israel. The... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19-22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:22

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:20

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:21

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19-21

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19-22

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