1 Samuel 7:2 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

NASB: From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel mourned after the Lord.

CSB: Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the Lord.

NLT: The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time — twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.

KJV: And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

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.

The ark of the Lord was back in Israel, but God's people were still unfaithful. They continued to worship and serve the idols of surrounding nations (1 Samuel 7:3). While they did so, the ark of the Lord remained silent and out of the way in the house of Abinadab in the city of Kiriath-jearim for twenty years.

During that time, the Philistines continued to oppress the Israelites and to rule over them. Eventually, the Israelites began to call out for the Lord, mourning their state and seeking God's salvation (1 Samuel 7:3–8).

This follows the pattern of the book of Judges: the people would be rescued by the Lord and serve Him for a time before going back to worshiping foreign gods. Then the Lord would cause them to be conquered by another nation and for His people to suffer until they finally repented of their sin and called out to Him for help once more. Then the Lord would raise up a judge to rescue them and lead them to freedom from their enemies. The final judge of that period was Samuel.

First Samuel 7:1–2 concludes the episode of the capture of the ark of the Lord and its return to Israel by the Philistines. The men of Kiriath-jearim bring the ark from Beth-shemesh to the house of Abinadab. His son, Eleazar, is consecrated and takes charge of the ark. It sits in a kind of silent storage at Kiriath-jearim for twenty years until Israel finally repents and asks God to save them from Philistine oppression.

Twenty years after the ark of the Lord is taken to Kiriath-jearim, Samuel calls for the people to repent. They should discard foreign gods and serve the true Lord. Gathered at Mizpah, the people confess their sin. With the Philistines approaching to attack, Samuel offers a sacrifice and cries out to God. The Lord responds with loud thunder against the Philistines and throws them into confusion. The Israelites strike them down and drive them out of Israelite territory. Samuel serves as judge over Israel for the rest of his life.

First Samuel 7 begins with the arrival of the previously captured ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 4—6) at Kiriath-jearim. There it sits for twenty years. Samuel then calls the people to repent and throw away the foreign gods they have been worshiping. At Mizpah, the nation is gathered to confess their sin and fast. With the Philistines approaching, Samuel offers a sacrifice and cries out to God. The Lord confuses the Philistines, and the Israelites strike them down and force them out of Israelite territory. Unfortunately, after this, Israel will seek to appoint a king so they can be like the other nations in the area (1 Samuel 8).

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.

Accessed 4/29/2024 11:54:17 AM