1 Samuel 4:22 Meaning and Explanation
“And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →With her dying words she repeats the lament: the glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.
What Does 1 Samuel 4:22 Mean?
Her final words repeat the lament, stripped now to its essence: 'The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.' The chapter ends on this note of desolation, the loss of God's presence stated twice so that it cannot be missed. It is the lowest point of the story, a nation that has lost the very sign of its God.
Yet a careful reader hears hope hidden inside the despair. The deepest tragedy Israel can name is the absence of God's glory, which means that, at heart, they know their life is found only in His presence. That longing is itself a kind of prayer. The God whose glory seemed to depart will not leave His people forever; the long story of Scripture moves toward the return of His presence, fully and finally, in the One in whom the glory of God dwells among us to stay.
1 Samuel 4:22 in the Original Language
kavod (כָּבוֹד), 'glory' -- weight, honor, the visible splendor of God's dwelling presence among His people.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 4:22
What does 1 Samuel 4:22 mean?
With her dying words she repeats the lament: the glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.