2 Samuel 4:5

5 One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth’s house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.

2 Samuel 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 4:5

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah,
went
From Gittaim, where they were sojourners, ( 2 Samuel 4:3 ) ; or from the army, where they had commissions, wherever it was:

and came, about the heat of the day;
the middle of the day, at noon, as follows:

to the house of Ishbosheth;
which was at Mahanaim:

who lay on a bed at noon;
as was usual in hot countries, especially for great personages, as kings; so the Targum,

``and he was sleeping the sleep of kings;''

or at a time when king's usually slept; though this is remarked by some as an instance and proof of the sluggishness and inactivity of this prince, who left the management of all affairs to Abner his general, and gave himself to sloth and sensuality; which, when indulged, bring ruin on princes and their kingdoms.

2 Samuel 4:5 In-Context

3 because the original people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.

4 (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)

5 One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth’s house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.

6 The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her.

7 They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night.