1 Samuel 4:20 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

NASB: And about the time of her death the women who were standing by her said to her, 'Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.' But she did not answer or pay attention.

CSB: As she was dying, the women taking care of her said, "Don't be afraid. You've given birth to a son! " But she did not respond or pay attention.

NLT: She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. 'Don’t be afraid,' they said. 'You have a baby boy!' But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

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.

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.

Along with his brother, Phinehas has been called a worthless man who did not know the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12). He abused his power as priest to bully those bringing sacrifices into giving him the best cuts of meat, which was blasphemy against God (1 Samuel 2:13–17; 3:13). He slept with women who came to serve at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:22). He had been marked for death by the Lord Himself (1 Samuel 2:34).

According to the Lord, Phinehas deserved to die. Still, it's easy to feel sympathy for his likely much younger widow in her mourning for her husband and her father-in-law and for the very glory of Israel. All that news has caused her to go into premature labor or to experience complications from the delivery of her son. The women helping her try to encourage her with good news: Your baby boy is born. He is apparently healthy.

The attendants tell the young woman not to be afraid, but she will not be comforted. She knows she is dying and that, from her perspective, all is lost. With the last of her strength, she will give her son a name commemorating this tragic turn of events (1 Samuel 4:21–22).

First Samuel 4:12–22 describes the reaction of the people of Shiloh, to news from the battle with the Philistines. A runner arrives and finds Eli, now ninety-eight and blind, sitting by the road at the gate. When Eli hears the news that the battle is lost, his sons are dead, and the ark is captured, he falls over backwards and dies. His daughter-in-law also reacts badly, going into premature labor and then dying herself after giving birth. She names the baby Ichabod, indicating the glory has departed from Israel because the ark has been captured.

Israel amasses an to fight against the Philistines. After losing badly in the first battle, the elders send for the ark of God to be brought from Shiloh. They seem to assume the mere presence of the ark will act like a lucky charm or talisman. The Philistines are terrified at the idea of fighting Israel's deity, but they still defeat the Israelites, slaughtering many soldiers and capturing the ark. A runner delivers the news to Eli that his sons are dead and the ark is captured. He dies, and his daughter-in-law goes into premature labor. Before she dies, she names the baby Ichabod, saying that the glory has departed from Israel.

First Samuel 4 begins a new section of 1 Samuel. The young prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1—3) disappears from the story for several chapters. Israel brings the ark of the covenant to a battle with the Philistines, but they are wiped out anyway. The Philistines rout the army and capture the ark. A runner delivers the news to Eli that his sons are dead and the ark is taken. Eli dies, as does his daughter-in-law after giving birth to a son she names Ichabod. She declares that the glory has departed from Israel because the ark has been captured. Despite this, the Philistines will soon learn the ark is not a mere trophy (1 Samuel 5).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.