1The Israelites are troubled at Abner's death. 2Baanah and Rechab murder Ish-bosheth, and bring his head to David to Hebron. 9David causeth them to be put to death, and Ish-bosheth's head to be buried.
1AND when Saul’s 1son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were 2feeble, and all the Israelites were 3troubled.
1 Ishbosheth.
2 That is, he lost all courage and valor to war against David. Compare 2 Sam. 17:2; Ezra 4:4; Isa. 13:7; 35:3; Jer. 38:4; 47:3; 50:43; Zeph. 3:16.
3 Or, terrified, because Abner, having treated with them to bring the kingdom unto David, was now dead, so that they knew not what would become of the matter. The rest that sided with Saul’s house were astonished at the loss of this great commander on whom Saul’s house relied.
2And Saul's son had two men that were captains of 4bands: the name of the one was 5Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for 6Beeroth also was 7reckoned to Benjamin:
4 Of plundering, and looting soldiers, as 2 Sam. 3:22.
5 Hebr. Baanah.
6 See Joshua 18:25.
7 Although the Benjamites, after Saul’s defeat (as is related in the sequel), were fled from there, and the Philistines had taken this place as others had done, see 1 Sam. 31:7.
3And the Beerothites fled to 8Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)
8 There is a city of this name mentioned in Neh. 11:33 to be in Benjamin. Some perceive that there was yet another place of the same name at the southern borders of Judah, to which they were fled for safety, and found themselves so well there, that they thought not at all of returning, until the affairs of Saul’s house were thus transacted, and this here mentioned was written at such time when it was but recently done.
4Anda9Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was 10lame of his feet. He was 11five years old when the 12tidings 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 13Mephibosheth.
a 2 Sam. 9:3, etc.
9 Who died in the battle with his father Saul.
10 That is, smitten; as follows. Also 2 Sam. 9:3.
11 Hebr. he was a son of five years.
12 The tiding of the defeat.
13 Hebr. Mephibosheth, otherwise called Merib-baal, 1 Chron. 8:34.
5And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, 14went, and came 15about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who 16lay on a bed at noon.
14 Perceiving that Ishbosheth’s affairs, after Abner’s death, were of small probability, and that David undoubtedly would come to the crown, because Mephibosheth, being lame (as in the previous verse is related), was unfit to succeed, and thus no cause to fear his vengeance, therefore they attempted this murder to curry favor with David.
15 Or, when the day had become hot.
16 To rest himself, or to take an afternoon sleep. Compare 2 Sam. 11:2.
6And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched 17wheat; and they smote him under the 18fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
17 Feigning and demeaning themselves, as if they had been wheat merchants, or wheat porters.
18 As 2 Sam. 2:23; 3:27.
7For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and 19beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the 20plain all night.
19 Hebr. put away, or, put of his head.
20 From Mahanaim (where Ishbosheth kept court, 2 Sam. 2:8, 29) having passed Jordan, they went speedily over the plain fields of Jericho to Hebron.
8And 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 21thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
21 That is, who sought thy life, who attempted to take away thy life. See Exod. 4 on verse 19; 1 Sam. 20:1; 23:15; 2 Sam. 16:11; Psalm 63:9, etc. Elsewhere this phrase signifies also to seek to preserve a man’s life, Prov. 29:10.
9¶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,
10Whenb one told me, saying, Behold, 22Saul is dead, 23thinking to have brought good tidings, I 24took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, 25who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
b 2 Sam. 1:15.
22 Saying therewith that he himself had assisted to slay Saul at his request, 2 Sam. 1:10.
23 That is, he thought so, he persuaded himself so, he had such a good opinion of himself.
24 That is, I caused him to be apprehended and put to death. See 2 Sam. 1:15.
25 Other, which was the messenger’s reward, which I ought to give him.
1126How much more, when wicked men have slain a 27righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now 28require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
26 Namely, ought I to do this.
27 That is, who had not deserved such at their hands.
28 By punishing you, because ye have shed his blood; and are not able to restore it, as likewise unto the man his life. See Gen. 9 on verse 5; Psalm 9:12; Ezek. 3:18, 20; 33:8.
12And David commanded his 29young 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 sepulchrec of Abner in Hebron.
29 That is, servants, courtiers, officers, pages.
c 2 Sam. 3:32.