King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 4:19 Mean?

1 Samuel 4:19 in the King James Version says “And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the a...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 4 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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 dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. be delivered: or, cry out came: Heb. were turned”

1 Samuel 4:19 · KJV

Salvation

Context

17

And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

18

And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

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 father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. be delivered: or, cry out came: Heb. were turned

20

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. neither: Heb. set not her heart

21

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. Ichabod: that is, Where is the glory? or, There is no glory

Read 1 Samuel 4 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Phinehas's wife, pregnant and near delivery, receives the triple news: Ark captured, father-in-law dead, husband dead. The shock induces labor; her 'pains came upon her.' The phrase 'she bowed herself' suggests collapse, indicating the birth occurs amid crisis rather than normal conditions. This unnamed woman becomes a prophetic voice, naming her son in a way that interprets the disaster theologically. Women in 1 Samuel often function as spiritual discerners (Hannah, this woman, the medium of Endor).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The connection between severe emotional trauma and premature or complicated labor was recognized in ancient cultures. The wife of Phinehas represents the broader community's suffering, experiencing personal, family, and national tragedy simultaneously.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this woman's experience embody the comprehensive nature of the disaster?
  2. What role do women play as spiritual interpreters throughout 1 Samuel?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
וְכַלָּת֣וֹ1 of 21

“And his daughter in law”

H3618

a bride (as if perfect); hence, a son's wife

אֵשֶׁת2 of 21

“wife”

H802

a woman

פִּֽינְחָס֮3 of 21

“Phinehas”

H6372

pinechas, the name of three israelites

הָרָ֣ה4 of 21

“was with child”

H2030

pregnant

וַתֵּ֔לֶד5 of 21

“herself and travailed”

H3205

to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage

וַתִּשְׁמַ֣ע6 of 21

“and when she heard”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

אֶת7 of 21
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הַשְּׁמוּעָ֔ה8 of 21

“the tidings”

H8052

something heard, i.e., an announcement

אֶל9 of 21

“that”

H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הִלָּקַח֙10 of 21

“was taken”

H3947

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

אֲר֣וֹן11 of 21

“the ark”

H727

a box

הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים12 of 21

“of God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

וּמֵ֥ת13 of 21

“were dead”

H4191

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

חָמִ֖יהָ14 of 21

“and that her father in law”

H2524

a father-in-law (as in affinity)

וְאִישָׁ֑הּ15 of 21

“and her husband”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

וַתִּכְרַ֣ע16 of 21

“she bowed”

H3766

to bend the knee; by implication, to sink, to prostrate

וַתֵּ֔לֶד17 of 21

“herself and travailed”

H3205

to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage

כִּֽי18 of 21
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

נֶהֶפְכ֥וּ19 of 21

“came”

H2015

to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert

עָלֶ֖יהָ20 of 21
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

צִרֶֽיהָ׃21 of 21

“for her pains”

H6735

a throe (as a phys. or mental pressure)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 4:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

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