1 samuel 7:1 - The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and took Yahweh’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark.
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What does "1 samuel 7:1" mean?
This verse from 1 Samuel 7:1 describes the initial placement and safekeeping of the Ark of the Covenant after it was returned by the Philistines. Let's break it down:
"The men of Kiriath Jearim came..." Kiriath Jearim was a town located west of Jerusalem. The men of this town took responsibility for the Ark. The fact that they came implies that the Ark was not already in Kiriath Jearim but was likely abandoned or left somewhere accessible for them to retrieve.
"...and took Yahweh’s ark..." The Ark of the Covenant was the most sacred object in Israelite religion. It represented God's presence and contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Philistines had captured it in battle (1 Samuel 4-6) but returned it after suffering divine plagues.
"...and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill..." Abinadab's house, located on a hill, became the new temporary resting place for the Ark. Keeping it on a hill might have been for security or visibility, or both. The significance of it being Abinadab's house is that it marked this family as the caretakers for a very important and holy object.
"...and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark." Consecration is a process of setting something or someone apart as holy and dedicated to God's service. Eleazar, Abinadab's son, was specifically consecrated or set apart for the important task of caring for and guarding the Ark. This indicates the importance and holiness associated with the Ark. Keeping the ark required a special holiness or ritual cleanliness, as the story later shows in 2 Samuel 6 when Uzzah is struck dead for touching the ark.
In essence, this verse tells us that the Ark, after its humiliating capture and return by the Philistines, was brought to Kiriath Jearim and placed in the care of Abinadab's family, with his son Eleazar specifically dedicated to its safekeeping. This passage emphasizes the Ark's significance and the need for proper reverence when handling it.
Key implications of the verse:
Temporary Solution: Placing the Ark in a private home was not the ideal, permanent solution. It suggests a period of instability or lack of a central religious authority to properly house and care for the Ark.
Religious Devotion: The people of Kiriath Jearim (and Abinadab's family, in particular) showed respect and reverence for God by taking responsibility for the Ark.
Transitional Period: This verse marks a transitional period in Israel's history, between the time of the Judges and the beginning of the monarchy under Saul and later David. The Ark's placement reflects the fragmented nature of Israel's religious life during this time.
foreshadowing: This also foreshadows the future prominence and importance the ark will have in the days of David and Solomon, as David seeks to bring the ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6) and Solomon eventually enshrines it in the temple he builds.
1 samuel 7:1 - The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and took Yahweh’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark.
What does "1 samuel 7:1" mean?
This verse from 1 Samuel 7:1 describes the initial placement and safekeeping of the Ark of the Covenant after it was returned by the Philistines. Let's break it down:
"The men of Kiriath Jearim came..." Kiriath Jearim was a town located west of Jerusalem. The men of this town took responsibility for the Ark. The fact that they came implies that the Ark was not already in Kiriath Jearim but was likely abandoned or left somewhere accessible for them to retrieve.
"...and took Yahweh’s ark..." The Ark of the Covenant was the most sacred object in Israelite religion. It represented God's presence and contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Philistines had captured it in battle (1 Samuel 4-6) but returned it after suffering divine plagues.
"...and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill..." Abinadab's house, located on a hill, became the new temporary resting place for the Ark. Keeping it on a hill might have been for security or visibility, or both. The significance of it being Abinadab's house is that it marked this family as the caretakers for a very important and holy object.
"...and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark." Consecration is a process of setting something or someone apart as holy and dedicated to God's service. Eleazar, Abinadab's son, was specifically consecrated or set apart for the important task of caring for and guarding the Ark. This indicates the importance and holiness associated with the Ark. Keeping the ark required a special holiness or ritual cleanliness, as the story later shows in 2 Samuel 6 when Uzzah is struck dead for touching the ark.
In essence, this verse tells us that the Ark, after its humiliating capture and return by the Philistines, was brought to Kiriath Jearim and placed in the care of Abinadab's family, with his son Eleazar specifically dedicated to its safekeeping. This passage emphasizes the Ark's significance and the need for proper reverence when handling it.
Key implications of the verse:
Temporary Solution: Placing the Ark in a private home was not the ideal, permanent solution. It suggests a period of instability or lack of a central religious authority to properly house and care for the Ark.
Religious Devotion: The people of Kiriath Jearim (and Abinadab's family, in particular) showed respect and reverence for God by taking responsibility for the Ark.
Transitional Period: This verse marks a transitional period in Israel's history, between the time of the Judges and the beginning of the monarchy under Saul and later David. The Ark's placement reflects the fragmented nature of Israel's religious life during this time.
foreshadowing: This also foreshadows the future prominence and importance the ark will have in the days of David and Solomon, as David seeks to bring the ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6) and Solomon eventually enshrines it in the temple he builds.