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King James Version
Psalms 132:6
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
We heard of the ark in Ephrathah;we found it in the fields of Jaar.
Behold, we heard of it in Efratah. We found it in the field of Ya`ar:
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
We heard about the Ark in Bethlehem. We found it at Kiriath Jearim.
Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah, we found it in the territory of Jaar.
Behold, we heard of it at Ephrathah; We found it in the field of Jaar.
Behold, we heard about it in Ephrathah, We found it in the field of Jaar.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar:
Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah, and found it in the fieldes of the forest.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah,We found it in the fields of Jaar.
We heard that the ark was in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
When we were in Ephrath, we heard that the sacred chest was somewhere near Jaar.
We heard about it in Efrat, we found it in the Fields of Ya‘ar.
Behold, we heard of it at Ephratah, we found it in the fields of the wood.
We heard about this in Ephrathah. We found the Box of the Agreement at Kiriath Jearim.
Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah; we found it in the fields.
In Bethlehem we heard about the Covenant Box, and we found it in the fields of Jearim.
Look, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found her in the fields of Jaar.
Lo, we have heard of it at Ephratah; we found it in the fields of the forest;
Lo, we herde of the same at Ephrata, & foude it in ye wod.
Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah: We found it in the field of the wood.
We had news of it at Ephrathah: we came to it in the fields of the wood.
Lo, we heard of it as being in Ephrath; we found it in the field of the wood.
Loe, wee heard of it at Ephrata: we found it in the fields of the wood.
Beholde, we hearde it to be at Ephratha: we founde it in the fieldes of the forest.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephratha; we found it in the fields of the wood.
Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah: we found it in the field of the wood.
Lo! we herden that arke of testament in Effrata, `that is, in Silo; we founden it in the feeldis of the wode.
Look, we heard of it in Ephrathah: We found it in the field of the forest.
Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;We found it in the fields of the woods. [fn]
We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.
See, we heard about it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar.
We heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
Lo! we heard of it at Ephrathah, we found it in the fields of the wood.
(131-6) Behold we have heard of it in Ephrata: we have found it in the fields of the wood.
Lo, we heard of it in Eph'rathah, we found it in the fields of Ja'ar.
`Lo, we have heard it in Ephratah, We have found it in the fields of the forest.
Remember how we got the news in Ephrathah, learned all about it at Jaar Meadows? We shouted, "Let's go to the shrine dedication! Let's worship at God's own footstool!"
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah, We found it in the field of Jaar.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
at Ephratah: Ruth 1:2, 1 Samuel 17:12, Micah 5:2
we found: 1 Samuel 7:1, 1 Chronicles 13:5, 1 Chronicles 13:6
Reciprocal: Genesis 35:16 - Ephrath Ruth 4:11 - Ephratah 2 Samuel 6:12 - So David 1 Chronicles 13:3 - the ark 2 Chronicles 1:4 - for he had pitched
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah,.... Either of the ark which David and others had heard of, that it formerly was at Shiloh,
Joshua 18:1; here called Ephratah, as some think; so the Ephraimites are called Ephrathites, Judges 12:5; and Elkanah of Ramathaimzophim, of Mount Ephraim, is said to be an Ephrathite, 1 Samuel 1:1; but this tribe the Lord chose not, but the tribe of Judah, for his habitation; and rejected the tabernacle of Shiloh, and removed it from thence,
Psalms 78:60;
we found it in the fields of the wood; at Kirjathjearim, which signifies the city of woods; being built among woods, and surrounded with them: here the ark was twenty years, and here David found it; and from hence he brought it to the house of Obededom, and from thence to Zion, 1 Samuel 7:1. Or else the place where the temple was to be built; which was not known till the times of David, who was of Ephratah or Bethlehem: here he was born and brought up; and here he was, as Arama supposes, when it was revealed to him where the temple should be built. According to R. Moses, the sense is, We have heard of it by the hand of David, who was of Ephratah: but Aben Ezra thinks the meaning is, that in former times men used to say, We have heard from the mouths of the prophets that the chosen place was near to Bethlehem Ephratah; only the precise place was not known, whether to the east or west, or north or south, of Bethlehem. Some think that not any particular city is intended, but a country, even all the neighbourhood of Bethlehem Ephratah; and took in Jerusalem, where the temple was built, it being but a few miles from the place; so Adrichomius u says, the country round about Ephratah had its name from thence; see 1 Kings 11:26. Now the place found for the building of the temple was "the fields of the wood", or the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite, and was on Mount Moriah; David found by the order he had to build an altar here, and by the acceptance of his sacrifices, that this was the place for the house of God, 1 Chronicles 22:1; and here Solomon built the temple, 2 Chronicles 3:1; and which was formerly a woody place, as mountains generally are; and this seems to have been when Abraham offered his son on it, who then spied a ram caught in the thickets, Genesis 22:2. The Targum is,
"we found it in the field of the forest of Lebanon, the place where the ancient fathers prayed;''
the temple being built of the wood of Lebanon. But all this is to be understood of the Lord, the mighty God of Jacob, who was heard of at Ephratah; the Shechinah, of divine Majesty; so Kimchi, Arama, and Ben Melech. And indeed the Messiah is meant, the antitype of the ark and temple; of whom the saints or believers in him, a chorus of which is here introduced, had heard that he should be born at Ephratah, which is Bethlehem; see Genesis 35:19. And if this psalm was written by the captives in Babylon, they might have heard of this from the prophecy of Micah, Psalms 5:2; the shepherds heard from the mouths of the angels that Christ was born there; and we Christians have heard the same, and know and believe it, Luke 2:4. And he has been "found in the fields of the wood"; in a low, mean, abject state, as this phrase signifies; Ezekiel 16:5. The shepherds found him rejected from being in the inn, there being no room for him, and lying in a manger, Luke 2:7; the angels found him in the wilderness, among the wild beasts of the field, Mark 1:13; nor had he the convenience even of foxes, and birds of the air; had no habitation or place where to lay his head, Matthew 8:20; And he is to be found in the field of the Scriptures, where this rich treasure and pearl of great price lies hid, Matthew 13:44; and being preached among the Gentiles, after his incarnation, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension, who are compared to wildernesses, and desert places, was found by many of them, Isaiah 35:1; and which serves to set off with a foil his glory; being like the apple tree among the trees of the wood, Song of Solomon 2:3.
u Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 41.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah - Most probably this is the language of the contemporaries of David; or this is what they might be supposed to say; or this is what tradition reports that they did say. David’s purpose, as referred to in the previous verses, is not recorded in the history, and the memory of the whole transaction may have been handed down by tradition. Or, this may be merely poetic language, expressing the feelings of those who, when sent out by David, or accompanying him, found the ark. Much difficulty has been felt in regard to this verse. There is no mention in the history of the fact that the ark was “heard of” at Ephrata, or that it was ever there. The name Ephrata - אפרתה 'ephrâthâh - is applied
(1) to a region of country to which was subsequently given the name Bethlehem, Genesis 35:16-19; Ruth 4:11.
(2) Properly to Bethlehem, a city of Judah, the full name of which was Bethlehem-Ephratah, Genesis 48:7; Micah 5:2.
(3) It is a proper name, 1 Chronicles 2:19, 1 Chronicles 2:50; 1 Chronicles 4:4.
(4) It may perhaps be the same as Ephraim.
Compare Judges 12:5; 1 Samuel 1:1; 1 Kings 11:26. Some have supposed the meaning to be, that they found it within the limits of the tribe of Ephraim, and that the word Ephratah is used here with reference to that; but this is a forced construction. It may have been indeed true that the ark was found within the limits of that tribe, but the word Ephratah would not naturally denote this; and, besides, the tribe of Ephraim was so large, and covered such an extent of territory, that this would convey no distinct information; and it cannot be supposed that the writer meant to say merely that they found it within the limits of a tribe. Nor can it mean that they actually found the ark at Ephrata, or Bethlehem, for this would not be true. A simple and natural interpretation of the passage has been suggested, which seems to make it plain: that, in their search for the ark, it was at Ephratah or Bethlehem that they first heard of it, but that they actually found it in the fields of the wood. It may seem strange that there should have been so much uncertainty about the ark as is here implied; that David did not know where it was; and that none of the priests knew. But, while it must be admitted that it seems to be strange, and that the fact is not of easy explanation, it is to he remembered that the ark was at one time in the possession of the Philistines; that when it was retaken it seems to have had no very permanent resting place; that it may have been removed from one spot to another as circumstances required; that it may have been committed now to one, and now to another, for safe keeping; and thus it might have occurred, in the unsettled and agitated state of affairs, that its exact situation might be unknown, and that a somewhat diligent search was necessary in order to find it We know too little of the times to enable us to pronounce upon the subject with much confidence.
We found it in the fields of the wood - Continuing our search, we found it there. Perhaps Kirjath-jearim, 1 Samuel 7:1; 1 Chronicles 13:5. It was to Kirjath-jearim that the ark was carried after it had been taken by the Philistines 1 Samuel 6:21. The literal meaning of the passage here is, “The fields of the wood” - or of Jear, where the word in Hebrew is the same as in Kirjath-jearim. The name Kirjath-jearim means Forest Town, or, city of the woods; and the allusion here is the same as in 1 Samuel 7:1. The interpretation, then, seems to be that they heard of the ark, or learned where it was, when they were at Ephrata or Bethlehem; but that they actually found it in the vicinity of Kirjath-jearim. The ignorance in the case may have been merely in regard to the exact place or house where it was at that time kept. Bethlehem was the home or city of David, and the idea is, that, when there, and when it was contemplated to remove the ark to Mount Zion, information or intelligence was brought there of its exact locality, and they went forth to bring it to its new abode or its permanent resting place.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 132:6. Lo, we have heard of it at Ephratah — This may be considered as a continuation of David's vow, as if he had said: As I had determined to build a temple for the ark, and heard that it was at Ephratah, I went and found it in the fields of Jaar, יער; - not the wood, but Kirjath Jaar or Jearim, where the ark was then lodged;-and having found it, he entered the tabernacle, Psalms 132:7; and then, adoring that God whose presence was in it, he invited him to arise and come to the place which he had prepared for him.
