Ichabod

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("where is the glory?") ( 1 Samuel 4:19-22). Born at the time of Israel's defeat by the Philistines, and his father Phinehas' death; named accordingly by his dying mother. "When she heard that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed." In vain did the women by her cheer her, "Fear not, for thou hast borne a son." "She answered not, neither did she regard it." As in the case of her pious and patriotic father-in-law, Eli, the overwhelming sorrow that caused her death was "because the ark of God was taken," hence this is thrice repeated. She felt God's presence is a nation's only true "glory" ( Jeremiah 2:11;  Psalms 78:61;  Psalms 106:20;  Hosea 9:12).

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Ichabod . Son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli. The name means ‘inglorious,’ but probably should be ‘Jahweh is glory,’ from an original Jochebed . If this guess be well founded, then the turn given to the story in   1 Samuel 4:21 is due to a desire to mould it on the story of the birth of Benjamin in   Genesis 35:18 .

W. F. Cobb.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

This name was given by a dying mother, in the moment of her departure, to her new-born-son. The sense is, "the glory is departed, or alas! the glory; from Kabod, glory." ( 1 Samuel 4:19 etc.) What a solemn question ariseth out of the subject—On how many places may the word Ichabod be written?

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The name which the wife of Phinehas gave to her son, because the ark of God had been taken by the Philistines, and her father-in-law and her husband were dead. After naming her child she died also: 'the glory had departed,' as the name signifies.  1 Samuel 4:21;  1 Samuel 14:3 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Where is the glory? A son of Phinehas, and grandson of Eli, both of whom, and his mother also, died on the day of his birth,  1 Samuel 4:19 -  22;  14:3 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ich'abod. (Inglorious). The son of Phinehas, and grandson of Eli.  1 Samuel 4:21. (B.C. about 1100).

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 4:21Eli

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 4:19-22

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ik´a - bod , ı̄´ka - bod ( אי־כבוד , 'ı̄ - khā - bhōdh , "inglorious"; Codex Vaticanus, οὐαὶ βαρχαβώθ , ouaı́ bar - chabō̇th  ; Codex Alexandrinus, οὐαὶ χαβώθ , ouaı́ chabō̇th , Ἂτιμος , Átimos ): Son of Phinehas, Eli's son, slain at the battle of Aphek when the ark was taken. Ichabod was born after his father's death. His mother gave him this name on her death-bed to indicate that the "glory (had) departed from Israel" (  1 Samuel 4:19 ). He was thus important as a symbol, though little is recorded of him as an individual. His nephew Ahijah was one of those who tarried with Saul and the six hundred at Gibeah just before Jonathan's brave attack upon the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 14:2 f).

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. I-kabdd' אַיאּכָבוֹד , Where is the Glory? i.q. There is No Glory, i.e. Inglorious; Sept. Ι᾿Ωχαβήδ v.r. Ε᾿Χαβώδ , and even Οὐαιχαβώδ , etc.), the son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli. The pains of labor came upon his mother when she heard that the ark of God was taken, that her husband was slain in battle, and that these tidings had proved fatal to his father Eli. They were death-pains to her; and when those around sought to cheer her, saying, "Fear not, for thou hast borne a son," she only answered by giving him the name of Ichabod, adding, "The glory is departed from Israel" (1 Samuel 4:19-22). B.C. 1125. The name again occurs in  1 Samuel 14:3; where his son Ahitub is mentioned as the father of the priest Ahiah.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ich´abod (where is the glory), son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli. He is only known from the unhappy circumstances of his birth, which occasioned this name to be given to him. The pains of labor came upon his mother when she heard that the ark of God was taken, that her husband was slain in battle, and that these tidings had proved fatal to his father Eli. They were death-pains to her; and when those around sought to cheer her, saying, 'Fear not, for thou hast borne a son,' she only answered by giving him the name of Ichabod, saying, 'The glory is departed from Israel' B.C. 1141. The name again occurs in [ELI].