1 Samuel 4:20
New International Version
As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.

New Living Translation
She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

English Standard Version
And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.

Berean Standard Bible
As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard it.

New American Standard Bible
And about the time of her death the women who were standing by her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.

NASB 1995
And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.

NASB 1977
And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.

Legacy Standard Bible
And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.

Amplified Bible
And about the time of her death [following the sudden birth] the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay any attention.

Christian Standard Bible
As she was dying, the women taking care of her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son! ” But she did not respond or pay attention.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As she was dying, the women taking care of her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay attention.

American Standard Version
And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

Contemporary English Version
and she was dying. But the women taking care of her said, "Don't be afraid--it's a boy!" She didn't pay any attention to them.

English Revised Version
And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
As she was dying, the women helping her said, "Don't be afraid. You've given birth to a son." But she didn't answer or pay attention.

Good News Translation
As she was dying, the women helping her said to her, "Be brave! You have a son!" But she paid no attention and did not answer.

International Standard Version
As she was about to die, the women standing around her said, "Don't be afraid! You've given birth to a son." But she did not respond or pay attention.

Majority Standard Bible
As she was dying, the women attending to her said, ?Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!? But she did not respond or pay any heed.

NET Bible
As she was dying, the women who were there with her said, "Don't be afraid! You have given birth to a son!" But she did not reply or pay any attention.

New Heart English Bible
About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, "Do not be afraid; for you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer, neither did she regard it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And about the time of her death, the women that stood by her said to her, Fear not; for thou hast borne a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

World English Bible
About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she didn’t answer, neither did she regard it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And at the time of her death, the women who are standing by her say, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son,” she has not answered, nor set her heart [to it];

Young's Literal Translation
And at the time of her death, when the women who are standing by her say, 'Fear not, for a son thou hast borne,' she hath not answered, nor set her heart to it;

Smith's Literal Translation
And about the time of her death, and they standing by will speak to her, Thou shalt not be afraid, for thou broughtest forth a son. And she answered not, and set not her heart.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when she was upon the point of death, they that stood about her said to her: Fear not, for thou hast borne a son. She answered them not, nor gave heed to them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then, when she was near death, those who were standing around her said to her, “You should not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond to them, and she did not notice them.

New American Bible
She was about to die when the women standing around her said to her, “Do not be afraid, you have given birth to a son.” Yet she neither answered nor paid any attention.

New Revised Standard Version
As she was about to die, the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or give heed.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And about the time of her death, the women that stood by her said to her, Fear not; for you have borne a son. But she neither answered nor did she pay attention to it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And in the hour of her death, those who stood above her said: “Do not be afraid, for you have delivered a boy!”, and she did not answer and she did not take it to heart
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her: 'Fear not; for thou hast brought forth a son.' But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And in her time she was at the point of death; and the women that stood by her, said to her, Fear not, for thou hast born a son: but she answered not, and her heart did not regard it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Death of Eli
19Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her. 20As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed. 21And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed.…

Cross References
Genesis 35:16-19
Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult. / During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.” / And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin. ...

1 Kings 14:17-18
Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and departed for Tirzah, and as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. / And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the prophet.

2 Samuel 12:15-23
After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. / David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. / The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them. ...

2 Kings 4:18-37
And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters. / “My head! My head!” he complained to his father. So his father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” / After the servant had picked him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. ...

Jeremiah 31:15
This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Ruth 4:17
The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:21-23
She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” / All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: / “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).

Luke 1:13-14
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. / He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,

Luke 1:57-60
When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. / Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her. / On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah. ...

Luke 2:6-7
While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born. / And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

John 16:21
A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.

Acts 7:20
At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.

Romans 9:9
For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

Galatians 4:4
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,


Treasury of Scripture

And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said to her, Fear not; for you have born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

Fear not

Genesis 35:17,18
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also…

John 16:21
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

neither did she regard it.

Psalm 77:2
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

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1 Samuel 4
1. The Israelites are overcome by the Philistines at Ebenezer
3. They fetch the ark unto the terror of the Philistines
10. They are smitten again, the ark taken, and Hophni and Phinehas are slain
12. Eli at the news, falling backward, breaks his neck
19. Phinehas's wife, discouraged in her travail with Ichabod, dies














As she was dying
This phrase captures the tragic moment of the wife of Phinehas, who is in the throes of death. The Hebrew root for "dying" is "mût," which conveys the finality and inevitability of death. In the historical context, her death is symbolic of the spiritual and national decline of Israel at this time, as the Ark of the Covenant has been captured by the Philistines. Her personal tragedy mirrors the larger calamity facing the nation.

the women attending her
In ancient Israelite culture, it was customary for women to assist during childbirth. These women represent the community's support system, highlighting the communal nature of life in ancient Israel. Their presence underscores the importance of community and shared experiences, even in times of personal and national crisis.

said, 'Do not despair, for you have given birth to a son!'
The phrase "Do not despair" is an attempt to offer comfort and hope. The birth of a son was traditionally seen as a blessing and a continuation of the family line. The Hebrew word for "despair" is "ʿāzab," which can also mean to forsake or abandon. The women are urging her not to abandon hope, even in her final moments, by focusing on the positive outcome of childbirth.

But she did not respond or pay any heed
This indicates her profound grief and despair. The Hebrew word for "respond" is "ʿānâ," which means to answer or reply. Her lack of response signifies her overwhelming sorrow, as the loss of the Ark and the death of her husband and father-in-law overshadow the birth of her son. This silence is a powerful testament to the depth of her anguish and the gravity of the situation facing Israel.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
As
וּכְעֵ֣ת (ū·ḵə·‘êṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

she was dying,
מוּתָ֗הּ (mū·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

the women attending
הַנִּצָּב֣וֹת (han·niṣ·ṣā·ḇō·wṯ)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 5324: To take one's stand, stand

to her
עָלֶ֔יהָ (‘ā·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

said,
וַתְּדַבֵּ֙רְנָה֙ (wat·tə·ḏab·bê·rə·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

“Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

despair,
תִּֽירְאִ֖י (tî·rə·’î)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you have given birth to
יָלָ֑דְתְּ (yā·lā·ḏət)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

a son!”
בֵ֣ן (ḇên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

But she did not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

respond
עָנְתָ֖ה (‘ā·nə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

or pay any heed.
שָׁ֥תָה (šā·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7896: To put, set


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OT History: 1 Samuel 4:20 About the time of her death (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 4:19
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