King James Version
2 Samuel 4
12 verses with commentary
Ishbosheth Murdered
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderers demonstrates crucial distinctions between godly and ungodly means. While the ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
IV.
(1) **All the Israelites were troubled.**—The death of Abner affected both Ish-bosheth and his people. For the former, “his hands were feeble,” the whole support and strength of his throne being gone; the latter were “troubled” because they had been carrying on negotiations with David through Abner, and these were now thrown into confusion, and it became uncertain how they might result.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-15. David also arose ... and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--**The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jud 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 4
Chapter Outline
Ishbosheth murdered.(1-7)
David puts to death the murderers.(8-12)
**Verses 1-7**
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know n...
Read full commentary →And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin: other: Heb. second
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and Da...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **A Beerothite.**—Beeroth was one of the four cities of the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:17), and was allotted with the others to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:25). It is identified with the modern *El-Bireh, *nine miles north of Jerusalem. It is mentioned here, in the past tense, that Beeroth “*was *reckoned to Benjamin,” because in the time of the writer it was no longer inhabited. The fact that ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-15. David also arose ... and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--**The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jud 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 4
Chapter Outline
Ishbosheth murdered.(1-7)
David puts to death the murderers.(8-12)
**Verses 1-7**
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know n...
Read full commentary →And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderers demonstrates crucial distinctions between godly and ungodly means. While the result (removing Saul's dynasty) align...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **Fled to Gittaim.**—Neither the cause of their flight, nor the place to which they fled, can be certainly determined. The Beerothites here appear as of the tribe of Benjamin, and it is probable that they fled from the incursions of the Philistines, and that Gittaim is the place mentioned in Nehemiah 11:35 as occupied by the Benjamites returning from Babylon. The expression “until this day” ma...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-15. David also arose ... and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--**The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jud 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 4
Chapter Outline
Ishbosheth murdered.(1-7)
David puts to death the murderers.(8-12)
**Verses 1-7**
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know n...
Read full commentary →And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth: or, Meribbaal
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteou...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **A son that was lame.**—The reason for the introduction here of this account of Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, is to show that, he being physically in capacitated for the throne, the house of Saul became practically extinct with the death of Ish-bosheth. There were other descendants, but either illegitimate or of the female line (2Samuel 21:8-9), and hence there was none other of his house to ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-15. David also arose ... and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--**The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jud 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 4
Chapter Outline
Ishbosheth murdered.(1-7)
David puts to death the murderers.(8-12)
**Verses 1-7**
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know n...
Read full commentary →And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderers demonstrates crucial distinctions between...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **Who lay on a bed at noon**—according to the custom in hot countries of taking a *siesta *at midday. Ish-bosheth’s bed was, of course, in the coolest and most retired part of the house.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-15. David also arose ... and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul--**The closeness of the precipitous cliffs, though divided by deep wadies, and the transparent purity of the air enable a person standing on one rock to hear distinctly the words uttered by a speaker standing on another (Jud 9:7). The expostulation of David, followed by the visible tokens he furnished of his cherishing no ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 4
Chapter Outline
Ishbosheth murdered.(1-7)
David puts to death the murderers.(8-12)
**Verses 1-7**
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know n...
Read full commentary →And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderers demonstrates crucial...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **As though they would have fetched wheat.**—Literally, *fetching wheat. *The English version gives the sense, since the fetching wheat (probably for their soldiers) was a pretext to cover their purpose. The LXX. has here a curious addition: “And, behold, the portress of the house was cleansing wheat, and she slumbered and slept, and the brothers slipt through.” On “the fifth rib”= abdomen, se...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 4
Chapter Outline
Ishbosheth murdered.(1-7)
David puts to death the murderers.(8-12)
**Verses 1-7**
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know n...
Read full commentary →For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber , and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderers demon...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **Took his head.**—There is no difficulty with the repetition in 2Samuel 4:7 of what has been already mentioned inverse 6, for it is common in the Scripture narratives to repeat statements when any additional fact (as here, the carrying off of the head) is to be mentioned. (See, *e.g., *2Samuel 3:22-23, where Joab’s arrival is twice mentioned, and 2Samuel 5:1-3, where the mention of the assemb...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 4
Chapter Outline
Ishbosheth murdered.(1-7)
David puts to death the murderers.(8-12)
**Verses 1-7**
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know n...
Read full commentary →And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **The Lord hath avenged.**—It is not to be supposed that the murderers pretended a Divine commission for their wicked deed; they only meant to say that, in the providence of God, David was thus avenged on the seed of his cruel persecutor. Yet they state the fact in the way they thought best calculated to awaken *the *gratitude of David towards themselves.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-12**
A person may be glad to obtain his just wishes, and yet really regret the means by which he receives them. He may be sorry for the death of a person by which he is a gainer. These men shed innocent blood, from the basest motives. David justly executed vengeance upon them. He would not be beholden to any to help him by unlawful practices. God had helped him over many a difficult...
Read full commentary →And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderers demonstrates crucial d...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **Who hath redeemed.**—David’s answer shows that he could trust in God to avenge him, and did not encourage or need the crimes of men to help him.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-12**
A person may be glad to obtain his just wishes, and yet really regret the means by which he receives them. He may be sorry for the death of a person by which he is a gainer. These men shed innocent blood, from the basest motives. David justly executed vengeance upon them. He would not be beholden to any to help him by unlawful practices. God had helped him over many a difficult...
Read full commentary →When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings: thinking: Heb. he was in his own eyes as a bringer, etc who: or, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderer...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **Who thought that I would have given him.**—The words *thought that I would *are not in the original, and the literal translation of the margin is better: “which was the reward I gave him.” This shows very plainly David’s view of the motive which prompted the Amalekite to his lie recorded in 2Samuel 1:10.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-12**
A person may be glad to obtain his just wishes, and yet really regret the means by which he receives them. He may be sorry for the death of a person by which he is a gainer. These men shed innocent blood, from the basest motives. David justly executed vengeance upon them. He would not be beholden to any to help him by unlawful practices. God had helped him over many a difficult...
Read full commentary →How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and David's execution of the murderers demonstrate...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **A righteous person**—i.e., righteous, not at fault, so far as the matter in hand and his relation to the assassins is concerned.
**Take you away from the earth.**—“Rather, *put you away out of the land. *The word is one specially used of removing evil or the guilt of evil from the land (Deuteronomy 19:13; Deuteronomy 19:19, &c.). The guilt of murder defiled the land, until expiated by the e...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-12**
A person may be glad to obtain his just wishes, and yet really regret the means by which he receives them. He may be sorry for the death of a person by which he is a gainer. These men shed innocent blood, from the basest motives. David justly executed vengeance upon them. He would not be beholden to any to help him by unlawful practices. God had helped him over many a difficult...
Read full commentary →And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Ish-bosheth Murdered, emphasizing righteous vs unrighteous means. The assassination of Ish-bosheth and D...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(12) **Over the pool in Hebron.**—The mutilation of the bodies of the criminals was itself a disgrace, and the hanging them up near the pool, to which all the people resorted, made this as public as possible and a terrible warning against the commission of such crimes *by *others. On the other hand, the head of Ish-bosheth was honourably buried in the sepulchre of his chief friend and supporter, A...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 8-12**
A person may be glad to obtain his just wishes, and yet really regret the means by which he receives them. He may be sorry for the death of a person by which he is a gainer. These men shed innocent blood, from the basest motives. David justly executed vengeance upon them. He would not be beholden to any to help him by unlawful practices. God had helped him over many a difficult...
Read full commentary →