Bible Strands
1 Samuel 4:22
“The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — A woman speaks immediately after learning that the ark of God has been captured and her husband and father-in-law have been killed. She addresses no specific individual but announces a communal reality to those present.
The words — The Hebrew כָּבֹד (kha.Vod) means "glory" or "weight," paired with גָּלָה (ga.Lah), "it has gone into exile." The phrase כִּי נִלְקַח אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים (ki nil.Kach 'a.Ron ha.'E.lo.Him) literally states "for the ark of God has been taken," establishing the ark’s capture as the direct cause of the departure.
The thread — This declaration of lost divine presence runs parallel to the exile lament in Psalms 137:5 and the temple-centered zeal recorded in John 2:17. The motif of glory departing when God’s dwelling is compromised appears across both testaments.
Why it lands — The text states that Israel’s spiritual standing ends when God’s presence is removed, not when military forces fall. It asks the reader to distinguish between ritual objects and the active presence of God, recognizing that neither guarantees favor.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
Cross-references
- Psalms 137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function.
- John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”