A Prophet’s Pregnant Pause: 1 Samuel 4:1

  In this podcast I deal with the first part of verse 1 of 1 Samuel 4 (the so-called verse 1b).  Translators and commentators place this verse as the final verse of 1 Samuel 3.  This is because we are told that the word of Samuel came to all Israel, but Samuel says not a word.  Plus, he does not even appear in the next story.  I argue that is a rhetorical device to have us read the story of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4—6) as a “prophet’s pregnant pause” hovers over the narrative.  That strategy intensifies the fact that God had raised up a prophet for Israel, but Israel neglected prophetic ministry for twenty years.  Twenty years later (according to 1 Samuel 7) the prophet Samuel finally spoke!