The Meaning of 1 Samuel 7:1 Explained

1 Samuel 7:1

KJV: And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

YLT: And the men of Kirjath-Jearim come and bring up the ark of Jehovah, and bring it in unto the house of Abinadab, in the height, and Eleazar his son they have sanctified to keep the ark of Jehovah.

Darby: And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and hallowed Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah.

ASV: And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the men  of Kirjathjearim  came,  and fetched up  the ark  of the LORD,  and brought  it into the house  of Abinadab  in the hill,  and sanctified  Eleazar  his son  to keep  the ark  of the LORD. 

What does 1 Samuel 7:1 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 7:1-4 - Rashness Punished Reverence Blessed
The new cart, with its precious burden, must have come upon the men of Beth-shemesh like an apparition. The Ark was welcomed by them, after its seven months of absence, with great joy. But privilege entails responsibility; and their wanton curiosity and irreverence could not be permitted. Reverence for God Himself demanded the most careful behavior toward the Ark of His Presence, and when this was lacking, swift judgment ensued. See Numbers 1:50-51; Numbers 4:5; Numbers 4:16-30.
It is interesting to notice that when the Israelites were weaned from the Ark, their hearts lamented after the Lord, 1 Samuel 7:2. We cannot be permanently happy without God. Seasons of apathy and irreligion will sooner or later be succeeded by faith and love, as the frost of winter yields to the touch of spring. In this case, the revival was due to the patient labor of Samuel, and he did splendid service in urging the people to deal drastically with the idols of Canaan, which had cut them off from God as clouds hide the sun. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 7

1  They of Kiriath Jearim bring the ark to Abinadab, and sanctify Eleazar as guard
2  After twenty years,
3  the Israelites, by Samuel's means, solemnly repent at Mizpeh
7  While Samuel prays and sacrifices,
10  the Lord thwarts the Philistines by thunder at Ebenezer
13  The Philistines are subdued
15  Samuel judges Israel

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 7:1 mean?

And came the men of Kirjath Jearim and took - the ark of Yahweh and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill and Eleazar his son consecrated to keep of Yahweh -
וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אַנְשֵׁ֣י ׀ קִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֗ים וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ אֶת־ אֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה וַיָּבִ֣אוּ אֹת֔וֹ אֶל־ בֵּ֥ית אֲבִינָדָ֖ב בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה וְאֶת־ אֶלְעָזָ֤ר בְּנוֹ֙ קִדְּשׁ֔וּ לִשְׁמֹ֖ר יְהוָֽה פ

וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אַנְשֵׁ֣י ׀  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יְעָרִ֗ים  Kirjath  Jearim 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קִרְיַת יְעָרִים  
Sense: a city on the northern boundary of Judah and on the western and southern boundaries of Benjamin.
וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙  and  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲר֣וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיָּבִ֣אוּ  and  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֵּ֥ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֲבִינָדָ֖ב  of  Abinadab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִינָדָב  
Sense: a man of Gibeah who sheltered the ark.
בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה  on  the  hill 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
אֶלְעָזָ֤ר  Eleazar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
בְּנוֹ֙  his  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קִדְּשׁ֔וּ  consecrated 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
לִשְׁמֹ֖ר  to  keep 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation