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1 Samuel 4:20

GriefDeath and loss

18 As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years.

19 Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her.

As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.

21 And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed.

22 “The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.
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.
WEB
About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she didn’t answer, neither did she regard it.
ASV
And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
DARBY
And as she was dying, the women that stood by her said, Fear not; for thou hast borne a son. But she did not answer, neither did she take it to heart.
BLB
And at the time of her death, the women who stood by her said to her, “Fear not, for you have borne a son.” And she did not answer nor set her heart [to it].
ÅB
I hennes dødsstund sa de kvinner som sto hos henne: Vær ved godt mot; du har født en sønn! Men hun svarte ikke og aktet ikke derpå.
OTB
Mens hun var i ferd med å dø, sa kvinnene som sto ved henne: “Ikke vær redd, du har født en sønn.” Men hun svarte ikke eller ga akt.
B1930
I hennes dødsstund sa de kvinner som stod hos henne: Vær ved godt mot; du har født en sønn! Men hun svarte ikke og aktet ikke derpå.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 77:2

    In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted.

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  • John 16:21

    A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.

    Read in context

  • Genesis 35:17–18

    During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.”

    Read in context