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Wesley's Explanatory Notes

1 Samuel 4:20

Fear not — Indeed the sorrows of her travail would have been forgotten, for joy that a child was born into the world. But what is that joy to one that feels herself dying? None but spiritual joy will stand us in stead then. Death admits not the relish of any earthly joy: it is then all flat and tasteless. What is it to one that is lamenting the loss of the ark? What can give us pleasure, if we want God's word and ordinances? Especially if we want the comfort of his gracious presence, and the light of his countenance?

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See also 1 Samuel 4:20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 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_....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    5. THE JUDGMENT OF ELI AND HIS SONS--ICHABOD CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The fulfilled prediction: The death of Eli's sons (1 Samuel 4:1)_ 2. The death of Eli (1 Samuel 4:12) 3. Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:19)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    DEATH OF ELI, BIRTH OF ICHABOD. 1 Samuel 4:12. clothes rent, etc.: signs of mourning. 1 Samuel 4:18. forty; LXX twenty. AND HE... YEARS: formula used by Deuteronomic editor of Jg. (Judges 10:2 f;...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ABOUT. at....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Death of Eli's Daughter in Law 19. _his daughter in law_ Her death is recorded (_a_) as being a further fulfilment of the doom of Eli's house: (_b_) for the sake of her pathetic dying words about the...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Fear not_ Cp. Genesis 35:16-19. But the attempt to comfort her was vain. The loss of the Ark so absorbed her mind, that even a mother's greatest joy (John 16:21) could not rouse her....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Sadness in Israel._ 1 Samuel 4:19-22 19 And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas-' wife, was with child, _near_ to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her f...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    CAPTURE OF THE ARK BY THE PHILISTINES. DEATH OF ELI The reason which led to 1 Samuel 4:1; being detached from its proper context is that without it this chapter seems to begin with inexplicable abrupt...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 4 THE *PHILISTINES STEAL THE *ARK OF GOD V1 When Samuel spoke, all the *Israelites listened to him. Now the *Israelites went out to fight aga...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וּ כְ עֵ֣ת מוּתָ֗הּ וַ תְּדַבֵּ֨רְנָה֙ הַ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER VI. _ THE ARK OF GOD TAKEN BY THE PHILISTINES_. 1 Samuel 4:1. WE are liable to form an erroneous impression of the connection of Samuel with the transactions of this chapter, in consequence...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE GLORY DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL 1 Samuel 4:12 Notwithstanding their high hopes, disaster again overtook the hosts of Israel. No symbols of God will help us, until we have put away our idols and laid...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The crisis of judgment foretold by Samuel to Eli now arrived. It was a Philistine attack on the people, in which large numbers were slain, among them the two sons of Eli. On hearing the news Eli himse...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER IV....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (19) В¶ And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dea...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The first Book of Samuel (or of Kings as with some) brings before us that great change for which the Book of Ruth was a preparation, and in order to which the Spirit of God closed it with the generati...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4, 5, AND 6. In chapter 4 the enemies of God and of His people display their strength; the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. God, in overrul...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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]. Ver. 20. _Neither did she regard it._...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Fear not_ Indeed, the sorrows of her travail would have been _forgotten, for joy that a child was born into the world._ But what is that joy to one that feels herself dying? None but spiritual joy wi...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Israelites are ouercome by the Philistines at Aben-Ezer. 3 They fetch the Arke, vnto the terrour of the Philistines. 10 They are smitten againe, the Arke taken, Hophni and Phinehas are slaine....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And about the time of her death, for her strength was not able to bear the blow, THE WOMEN THAT STOOD BY HER SAID UNTO HER, FEAR NOT; FOR THOU HAST BORN A SON, the message being intended to comfort an...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Death of Eli and of his Daughter-In-Law...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Verse 1 shows that Samuel did not conceal the word that God gave to him, but communicated it to all Israel. But it is not said that it was this word that called them to battle with the Philistines. It...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    NEITHER DID SHE REGARD IT: _ Heb._ set not her heart...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 he...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Being overwhelmed with sorrow, and so uncapable of comfort....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 4:20 time H6256 death H4191 (H8800) stood H5324 (H8737) said H1696 (H8762) fear H3372 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TRAGIC AFTERMATH OF THE NEWS FROM THE BATTLEFIELD (1 SAMUEL 4:18). The shattering news from the battlefield caused the blind old man to fall backwards and break his neck, while his daughter-in-law...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 SAMUEL 1-4 _(with Judges 21:16)_ I. With all his virtues and natural advantages Eli had one great fault. He was a good man of the easy type; the kind of man who makes an admirable servant, who does...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ark taken by Philistines. CHARACTERS: God, Eli, Hophni, Phinehas, his wife, Ichabod. CONCLUSION: One may go forth with a Bible under the arm and a shout upon the lips and yet not have God...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 4:5. _Israel shouted._ But why had they not put away their sins? And why had they not enquired of God? Alas, these priests, like Saul in his last moments, were not fit persons to enquire of G...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And the Philistines fought and Israel was smitten._ THE HARVEST OF SIN This story tells of a harvest that had long been predicted, and that at length was reaped. “They have sown the wind, and they...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 4:13. “ELI SAT UPON A SEAT BY THE WAYSIDE.” “This sitting on the side of the way by which the first message must come answers precisely to the intense expectati...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 SAMUEL 4:1 AND THE WORD OF SAMUEL... ALL ISRAEL. This clause is rightly connected with the foregoing verse of the previous chapter in the Syriac and Vulgate. Attached to the fourth chapt...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in chapter four we find the Philistines had come against the Israelites and they met them in battle and defeated them. Four thousand of the men of Israel were slain. So the Philistines were gettin...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 35:17; Genesis 35:18; John 16:21; Psalms 77:2...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE ARK TAKEN BY THE PHILISTINES 1 Samuel 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We would like to suggest something of the history of the Ark of the Covenant. 1. THE ARK WAS SYMBOLICAL OF CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. TH...

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