1 Samuel 7:2

THE ARK REMAINS AT KIRIATH-JEARIM TWENTY YEARS

"From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord."

This verse has the nature of a parenthesis, the purpose of which is to reveal how long the ark stayed at its new location. Therefore, Caird's allegation that, "This verse gives the impression that 20 years have elapsed between the return of the ark to Beth-shemesh and the battle about to be described,"[1] is not accurate. Such an impression is made only upon persons who fail to see the parenthetic nature of the verse. This type of writing is often found in Scripture.

"In 1Sam. 7:2-4,1 Samuel 7:13-17, the author does not intend to relate specific events, but to give a panoramic view of high points connected with Samuel."[2]

"And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord" (1 Samuel 7:2). This speaks of the grief and anxiety of Israel following the defeat at Ebenezer, especially of their sorrow that the Lord was not blessing them. "It means that they sought him with great humility."[3]