2 Samuel 4:1–12

4:2–3 Among Ish-bosheth’s officers are two brothers who serve as “captains of raiding bands,” those who make forays into surrounding regions to seize whatever they can, not dissimilar to Joab (3:22), and therefore used to performing dangerous exploits.

Baanah’s name precedes that of Rechab in verse 2, presumably because he is older, but Rechab is later named first as the more active figure (vv. 5, 6, 9). Their father, Rimmon, is a “man of Benjamin” (lit., “from the sons of Benjamin”), which clearly identifies him as a Benjaminite, not merely as a resident there. This is clarified because he is also “from Beeroth,” a Gibeonite city 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Jerusalem. At some point, perhaps in connection with Saul’s persecution of the Gibeonites (21:1), the original Canaanite inhabitants of Beeroth “fled to Gittaim,” and Rimmon is among the Benjaminites who occupy the now abandoned site of Beeroth. So Ish-bosheth’s assassins are Israelites from his own tribe and therefore unlikely to be acting in collusion with David.

4:4 This verse is inserted to clarify that, apart from Ish-bosheth (and Saul’s sons by a concubine and grandchildren through his daughter Merab; cf. 2 Sam. 21:8), the only other male survivor from the house of Saul is a son of Jonathan, whose name is given here as “Mephibosheth,” a transformed version of Merib-baal (cf. comment on 1 Sam. 14:49).

Mephibosheth is not a viable rival to David. He was only five years old when news of Saul’s death led his panic-stricken caretaker (“nurse” does not imply that he had special medical needs before this incident) to flee with him, presumably fearing a Philistine raid. Unfortunately, he slipped out of her grasp and “became lame” in his feet. Being “crippled in his feet” is repeatedly brought forward as debarring him from the throne in an age when a king is to personally lead his troops into battle. The story of Mephibosheth is continued in 9:1–13; 16:1–4; and 19:24–30.

4:5 The main narrative resumes with the two assassins coming to Ish-bosheth’s house “about the heat of the day,” while he is taking a siesta. It is not clear whether their action is deliberately planned or sheer opportunism, but they have obviously decided that the regime’s days are numbered.

4:6–7 The text of these verses is problematic, with the beginning of verse 7 being repetitious. In “as if to get wheat” (v. 6), “as if” is a translator’s addition, under the supposition that this is a ruse to cover up their scheme. Wheat is evidently stored in Ish-bosheth’s house—an indication of his unpretentious circumstances—and the men may legitimately be present in order to procure supplies. Taking advantage of the lack of security, they find Ish-bosheth and stab him “in the stomach” (cf. 2:23; 3:27). The repetition in 4:7 along with the additional information that Ish-bosheth is killed where “he lay on his bed in his bedroom” may then be taken as an ironic comment on their “heroic” deed in killing a sleeping man.

However, an ESV footnote records a fuller Septuagint text that may be original: “And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept. So Rechab and Baanah his brother slipped in.” At the modest premises where Ish-bosheth stayed, there was no security apart from a woman who functioned as a doorkeeper while also carrying out domestic duties. She too has nodded off in the heat of the day, and so the assassins are able to slip past her.

The treacherous killers decapitate Ish-bosheth’s corpse to take his head with them as proof of his death. To avoid detection they travel all night “by the way of the Arabah” (cf. 2:29) through the Jordan Valley, covering at least 60 miles (97 km) to reach David.

4:8 The assassins expect David to reward them for removing his rival to the throne. Assuming that David is hostile toward the house of Saul, they emphasize that their victim was the son of Saul, “your enemy, who sought your life” (cf. 1 Sam. 19:2). While this is true, David never used it to justify killing Saul (1 Sam. 24:4–6; 26:8–9). Furthermore, the killers piously claim divine sanction for their treachery.

4:9 David’s reply is not what the two men expect. “As the Lord lives” (cf. 1 Sam. 14:39) is a strong oath committing the speaker to perform the action stated. David affirms that the Lord “has redeemed my life out of every adversity [“tribulation” in 1 Sam. 26:24].” Those who trust in the Lord have no need to resort to criminal action to advance their careers.

4:10–11 David recalls what he did to the Amalekite who “thought he was bringing good news” when he claimed he had mercifully killed the injured Saul (1:13–14). He had him seized and executed him. “How much more” will David react to the heinous conduct of Rechab and Baanah, two “wicked men” who have treacherously slain a “righteous man”—one who was innocent and undeserving of such a fate—while he slept? David does not describe Ish-bosheth as the Lord’s anointed (contrast 1:14) nor imply that the offense was one of regicide. He sentences the two to death as treacherous murderers who must answer for their crime.

4:12 The execution is carried out by the soldiers attending to David. “They killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron.” What was hung? While the verse as it stands might suggest their hands and feet, “them” more likely refers to their corpses’ being put on public display (1 Sam. 31:10; Deut. 21:22) to make known David’s abhorrence of their crime. David then shows respect for his murdered brother-in-law by interring his head “in the tomb of Abner at Hebron” (cf. 2 Sam. 3:32).