Shmuel Alef 4:21

21 And she named the na’ar Ichavod [Inglorious], saying, The kavod is departed from Yisroel; because the Aron HaElohim is captured, and because of her kham (woman’s father-in-law) and her ish.

Shmuel Alef 4:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 4:21

And she named the child Ichabod
Which some render, "where is the glory?" as in the margin of our Bibles; but it signifies "no glory", as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; her husband being dead, she gives her child its name; the reason for which name follows:

saying, the glory is departed from Israel:
the God of glory, or the glorious Lord, was departed from Israel; the ark, the symbol of his presence, being taken from them, and carried captive by the enemy; see ( Psalms 78:61 )

because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law, and
her husband;
who were dead; these are the words either of the writer of this book, or, as Abarbinel thinks, of the women that assisted at her labour; who interpreted the name of the child, and suggested what were her intentions in giving this name, which she had only expressed in general terms; the particulars of which they thought fit to give, agreeably to her meaning, as they supposed; which were the taking of the ark, and the death of her father-in-law, and of her husband; but according to the same writer she before her death corrected the sense they put upon her intention in thus naming the child; showing that it was not on the account of the death of her father and husband that she supposed the glory to be departed, and therefore named her child Ichabod: but solely and alone because the ark was taken, as in the next verse.

Shmuel Alef 4:21 In-Context

19 And his kallah (daughter-in-law), eshet Pinchas, was with child, near to be delivered; and when she heard the tidings that the Aron HaElohim was captured, and that her kham (woman’s father-in-law) and her ish were dead, she fell upon her knees in labor and gave birth; for her labor pains came upon her.

20 And about the time of her mot (death) the attending women said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born ben. But she answered not, neither did her lev pay attention.

21 And she named the na’ar Ichavod [Inglorious], saying, The kavod is departed from Yisroel; because the Aron HaElohim is captured, and because of her kham (woman’s father-in-law) and her ish.

22 And she said, The kavod is departed from Yisroel; for the Aron HaElohim is captured.