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.

1 SAMUEL 7:2KJV
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1 Samuel 7:2 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 7:2 mean?

1 Samuel 7:2 describes how the Ark of the Covenant stayed in the town of Kirjathjearim for twenty years, during which time the people of Israel deeply mourned and longed for the LORD. The verse highlights a long period of spiritual sorrow and yearning among the Israelites while the Ark was separated from its usual place.

The setting is after the Ark had been captured by the Philistines and then returned to Israel, but not yet brought back to the central place of worship. The writer is describing a time when Israel felt distant from God, shown by the word "lamented," meaning they grieved or earnestly sought after the LORD. This verse sets the stage for the spiritual renewal that follows in the next part of the story.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 7:2

  • לָמַד (נָהָה, nāhāh) — "lamented": This word often means to mourn deeply or to wail with longing. Here, it shows that Israel’s sorrow was not just sadness but a heartfelt desire to be close to God again.
  • אַחֲרֵי (’aḥarē) — "after": This word can mean "behind" or "following," but in this context, it carries the sense of longing or seeking after the LORD, not just being physically behind Him.
  • רַב (rāv) — "long": The word used for "long" suggests not just a passage of time but a sense of it being drawn out or multiplied, emphasizing how the twenty years felt especially lengthy and difficult for the people.

Why 1 Samuel 7:2 matters

  • This verse clears up that the Ark’s absence was not just a physical issue but caused a deep spiritual crisis for Israel, leading them to seek God more earnestly.
  • The emphasis on "twenty years" and the people’s lament shows how spiritual longing can build over time, preparing for a turning point or revival.
  • Understanding this background helps make sense of why Samuel’s later call to repentance in the following verses is so powerful and effective.

Where else these words appear

“lamented” Hebrew H5091 · used in 3 verses

  • Ezekiel 32:18 Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit.
  • Micah 2:4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

“Kirjathjearim” Hebrew H7157 · used in 19 verses

  • Joshua 9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
  • Judges 18:12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.
  • 1 Chronicles 13:5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.