2 Samuel 4:9

9 But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As surely as the Lord lives, [the One] who has redeemed my life from every distress,

2 Samuel 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 4:9

And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of
Rimmon the Beerothite
In a manner they did not expect:

and said unto them, [as] the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul
out of all adversity;
spiritual and temporal, especially the latter is meant, and particularly what he had been brought into by the persecution of Saul, while living, and by those that adhered to his house since his death; which he ascribes to the Lord, and doubted not that he would still deliver him, and complete what he had designed for him, and that he needed not the assistance of such wicked hands as theirs; the words contain the form of an oath made to testify the truth of the following narrative, concerning the man that brought the tidings of Saul's death to him, or for the certainty of what he would do those persons for the murder of Ishbosheth.

2 Samuel 4:9 In-Context

7 They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. Then they beheaded him, took his head, and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.

8 They brought Ish-bosheth's head to David at Hebron and said to the king, "Here's the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring."

9 But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As surely as the Lord lives, [the One] who has redeemed my life from every distress,

10 when the person told me, 'Look, Saul is dead,' he thought he was a bearer of good news, but I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag. That was my reward to him for his news!

11 How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from your hands and wipe you off the earth?"