II Samuel 4 Commentary: The Assassination of Ish-bosheth
And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
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:
And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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:
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?
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.
II Samuel 4 marks a pivotal, albeit grim, turning point in the narrative of David's ascent to the throne of Israel. This chapter details the assassination of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son and a rival claimant to the throne, and David's reaction to this treacherous act. The events of this chapter highlight themes of political instability, ambition, justice, and David's integrity.
Fear and Instability (II Samuel 4:1-4)
II Samuel 4:1-3 opens with the news of Abner's death sending a wave of panic throughout the northern kingdom of Israel, where Ish-bosheth reigned. Abner, the commander of Saul's army, was the real power behind Ish-bosheth's throne. His assassination (II Samuel 3) left Ish-bosheth vulnerable and his followers fearful. They worried that David, now firmly established in Judah, would seize the opportunity to invade and conquer the rest of Israel. This pervasive fear sets the stage for the desperate actions that follow.
The author then introduces Rechab and Baanah, two Benjamites who served Ish-bosheth (II Samuel 4:2). These men, driven by their own ambition, would soon play a crucial role in the unfolding drama.
Before continuing the narrative of Rechab and Baanah, the author inserts a seemingly unrelated, parenthetical note about Mephibosheth (II Samuel 4:4). Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, Saul’s son and David’s beloved friend. This verse explains that after the deaths of Saul and Jonathan at the hands of the Philistines, Mephibosheth, then only five years old, was dropped by his nurse while fleeing, resulting in a permanent crippling of his feet. The inclusion of this detail serves a significant purpose. It foreshadows David's later act of kindness towards Mephibosheth (II Samuel 9), demonstrating David's unwavering loyalty to Jonathan and his commitment to honoring his covenant.
Treachery and Ambition (II Samuel 4:5-8)
Returning to the story of Rechab and Baanah, II Samuel 4:5-8 recounts their cold-blooded assassination of Ish-bosheth. They infiltrated Ish-bosheth's residence and murdered him while he was defenseless in his bed. Their actions were not driven by loyalty or justice, but by selfish ambition. They believed that by eliminating David's rival, they would gain favor with the new king. To demonstrate their deed, they severed Ish-bosheth's head and brought it to David in Hebron, hoping for a reward (II Samuel 4:8).
David's Justice and Integrity (II Samuel 4:9-12)
Rechab and Baanah severely misjudged David's character. Far from rewarding them, David was horrified by their treacherous act. He recognized that they had murdered a righteous man who posed no direct threat to him. David reminds them of his reaction to the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul (II Samuel 1:1-16), highlighting his consistent stance against violence and treachery, even when it might appear to benefit him politically.
David's response was swift and decisive. He ordered his men to execute Rechab and Baanah (II Samuel 4:12). Furthermore, he had their hands and feet cut off, a gruesome but symbolic punishment. This act served as a powerful denunciation of their wicked deed and a warning to anyone else who might contemplate similar acts of violence. By publicly executing the assassins, David made it unequivocally clear that he had no part in Ish-bosheth's murder and that he would not tolerate such treachery. This was crucial for maintaining his integrity and establishing trust with the people of Israel. David's swift and decisive action underscores his commitment to justice and his unwavering adherence to moral principles, even in the face of political expediency.
And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
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:
And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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:
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?
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.
II Samuel 4 marks a pivotal, albeit grim, turning point in the narrative of David's ascent to the throne of Israel. This chapter details the assassination of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son and a rival claimant to the throne, and David's reaction to this treacherous act. The events of this chapter highlight themes of political instability, ambition, justice, and David's integrity.
Fear and Instability (II Samuel 4:1-4)
II Samuel 4:1-3 opens with the news of Abner's death sending a wave of panic throughout the northern kingdom of Israel, where Ish-bosheth reigned. Abner, the commander of Saul's army, was the real power behind Ish-bosheth's throne. His assassination (II Samuel 3) left Ish-bosheth vulnerable and his followers fearful. They worried that David, now firmly established in Judah, would seize the opportunity to invade and conquer the rest of Israel. This pervasive fear sets the stage for the desperate actions that follow.
The author then introduces Rechab and Baanah, two Benjamites who served Ish-bosheth (II Samuel 4:2). These men, driven by their own ambition, would soon play a crucial role in the unfolding drama.
Before continuing the narrative of Rechab and Baanah, the author inserts a seemingly unrelated, parenthetical note about Mephibosheth (II Samuel 4:4). Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, Saul’s son and David’s beloved friend. This verse explains that after the deaths of Saul and Jonathan at the hands of the Philistines, Mephibosheth, then only five years old, was dropped by his nurse while fleeing, resulting in a permanent crippling of his feet. The inclusion of this detail serves a significant purpose. It foreshadows David's later act of kindness towards Mephibosheth (II Samuel 9), demonstrating David's unwavering loyalty to Jonathan and his commitment to honoring his covenant.
Treachery and Ambition (II Samuel 4:5-8)
Returning to the story of Rechab and Baanah, II Samuel 4:5-8 recounts their cold-blooded assassination of Ish-bosheth. They infiltrated Ish-bosheth's residence and murdered him while he was defenseless in his bed. Their actions were not driven by loyalty or justice, but by selfish ambition. They believed that by eliminating David's rival, they would gain favor with the new king. To demonstrate their deed, they severed Ish-bosheth's head and brought it to David in Hebron, hoping for a reward (II Samuel 4:8).
David's Justice and Integrity (II Samuel 4:9-12)
Rechab and Baanah severely misjudged David's character. Far from rewarding them, David was horrified by their treacherous act. He recognized that they had murdered a righteous man who posed no direct threat to him. David reminds them of his reaction to the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul (II Samuel 1:1-16), highlighting his consistent stance against violence and treachery, even when it might appear to benefit him politically.
David's response was swift and decisive. He ordered his men to execute Rechab and Baanah (II Samuel 4:12). Furthermore, he had their hands and feet cut off, a gruesome but symbolic punishment. This act served as a powerful denunciation of their wicked deed and a warning to anyone else who might contemplate similar acts of violence. By publicly executing the assassins, David made it unequivocally clear that he had no part in Ish-bosheth's murder and that he would not tolerate such treachery. This was crucial for maintaining his integrity and establishing trust with the people of Israel. David's swift and decisive action underscores his commitment to justice and his unwavering adherence to moral principles, even in the face of political expediency.