2 Samuel 4:1-7

1 And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2 And Saul's son had two men who were captains of companies: 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;
3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and were sojourners there until this day.)
4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame in 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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 got themselves away through the plain all night.

2 Samuel 4:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 4

This chapter relates the concern the death of Abner gave to Ishbosheth, and the men of Israel, 2Sa 4:1; the murder of Ishbosheth by two of his captains, who cut off his head, and brought it to David, 2Sa 4:2-8; by whom they were rewarded according to their deserts, he putting them to death, and exposing their bodies to shame and ignominy, 2Sa 4:9-12.

Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.