1 Samuel 7 · Verse 2

1 Samuel 7:2

And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath–jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
1 Samuel 7:2, King James Version

1 Samuel 7:2 in other translations

BSBAnd from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.
WEBFrom the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long—for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
ASVAnd it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, from the day of the dwelling of the ark in Kirjath-Jearim, that the days are multiplied--yea, they are twenty years--and wail do all the house of Israel after Jehovah.
DARBYAnd it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.
BBEAnd the ark was in Kiriath-jearim for a long time, as much as twenty years: and all Israel was searching after the Lord with weeping.
WebsterAnd it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

What does 1 Samuel 7:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim ... twenty years--It appears, in the subsequent history, that a much longer period elapsed before its final removal from Kirjath-jearim (2Sa 6:1-19; 1Ch 13:1-14). But that length of time had passed when the Israelites began to revive from their sad state of religious decline. The capture of the ark had produced a general indifference either as to its loss or its recovery. all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord--They were then brought, doubtless by the influence of Samuel's exhortations, to renounce idolatry, and to return to the national worship of the true God. 1Sa 7:3-6. The Israelites, through Samuel's Influence, Solemnly Repent at Mizpeh.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 It was twenty years - This chapter contains the transactions of at least twenty years, but we know not the date of each event.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 7:1-4

Chapter Outline The ark removed to Kirjath-jearim. (1-4) The Israelites solemnly repent. (5-6) The Lord discomfits the Philistines. (7-12) They are subdued, Samuel judges Israel. (13-17) Verses 1-4 God will find a resting-place for his ark; if some thrust it from them, the hearts of others shall be inclined to receive it. It is no new thing for God's ark to be in a private house. Christ and his apostles preached…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 7:1-4 →

1 Samuel 7:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֗יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
מִיּ֞וֹםmi.Yomfrom [the] dayH3117
שֶׁ֤בֶתShe.vetdweltH3427
הָֽאָרוֹן֙ha.'a.rOnthe arkH727
בְּקִרְיַ֣תbe.kir.Yatat KiriathH7157
יְעָרִ֔יםye.'a.RimJearimH7157
וַיִּרְבּוּ֙vai.yir.Buand they increasedH7235
הַיָּמִ֔יםhai.ya.Mimthe daysH3117
וַיִּֽהְי֖וּvai.yih.Yuand they wereH1961
עֶשְׂרִ֣ים'es.RimtwentyH6242
שָׁנָ֑הsha.Nahyear[s]H8141
וַיִּנָּה֛וּvai.yi.na.Huand they mournedH5091
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
בֵּ֥יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אַחֲרֵ֥י'a.cha.ReiafterH310
יְהוָֽה\׃\ \סYah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 7:2

  • Jeremiah 3:13

    Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 31:9

    They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

  • 2 Corinthians 7:10-11

    For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

  • Judges 2:4

    And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

  • Zechariah 12:10-11

    And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

  • Jeremiah 3:22-25

    Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.

  • Matthew 5:4

    Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
lamented.
Jud 2:4; Jer 3:13,22-25; 31:9; Zec 12:10,11; Mt 5:4; 2Co 7:10,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 7:1

    And the men of Kirjath–jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

  • 1 Samuel 7:2

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

  • 1 Samuel 7:3

    And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

Read all of 1 Samuel 7

1 Samuel 7:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aconteció que desde el día que llegó el arca á Chîriath-jearim pasaron muchos días, veinte años; y toda la casa de Israel lamentaba en pos de Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et il arriva que, depuis le jour où l’arche demeura à Kiriath-Jéarim, il se passa un long temps, 20 années; et toute la maison d’Israël se lamenta après l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah von dem Tage an, da die Lade zu Kirjath-Jearim blieb, daß der Tage viele wurden, und es wurden zwanzig Jahre. Und das ganze Haus Israel wehklagte Jehova nach.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et factum est, ex qua die mansit arca Domini in Cariathiarim, multiplicati sunt dies (erat quippe jam annus vigesimus), et requievit omnis domus Israël post Dominum.