Day 101 – 2 Samuel 4:1-12
Scripture Review
2 Samuel 4:1-12
"And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled."
(2 Samuel 4:1)
Abner is dead, and the strength drains out of Ishbosheth. The Bible says "his hands were feeble." That is not just fear in his mind; it is weakness in his ability to act. The man who had held up Saul's house was gone, and Ishbosheth knew it.
"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:"
(2 Samuel 4:2)
The Holy Spirit names the two men, Baanah and Rechab. They are captains of bands under Ishbosheth, and they are connected to Benjamin, Saul's own tribe.
"And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)"
(2 Samuel 4:3)
This historical note is a reminder that these men came from a displaced people. They had fled to Gittaim and lived as sojourners.
"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."
(2 Samuel 4:4)
Right in the middle of Ishbosheth's powerlessness, the Bible introduces Mephibosheth. Jonathan's son is alive, but lame of his feet. He was only five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan's death. His nurse fled in fear, and in the haste of that terrible day, he fell and became lame.
"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."
(2 Samuel 4:5)
Rechab and Baanah come in "the heat of the day." Ishbosheth is lying on a bed at noon. The king is not on a battlefield. He is not armed. He is resting.
"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."
(2 Samuel 4:6)
Their entrance was deceitful, "as though they would have fetched wheat." Then they smite him "under the fifth rib." That wording keeps showing up in these chapters. Asahel was smitten under the fifth rib. Abner was smitten under the fifth rib. Now Ishbosheth is smitten under the fifth rib.
"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."
(2 Samuel 4:7)
The Holy Spirit is revealing the specific details of what took place. They came, they smote him, they slew him, they beheaded him, they took his head, and they fled through the plain all night. It requires us to look at the ugliness of what they did. They did not merely kill Ishbosheth. They turned his head into a trophy. They carry through the night what they think will purchase favor in the morning.
"And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth 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."
(2 Samuel 4:8)
They bring Ishbosheth's head to David, "The LORD hath avenged my lord the king." They think if they mention the LORD, their actions will sound spiritual. They also call Ishbosheth "the son of Saul thine enemy." They are trying to stir David's old wounds. They want David to see Saul's house, Saul's hatred, Saul's pursuit, Saul's 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,"
(2 Samuel 4:9)
David begins with God. "As the LORD liveth." Before he answers their opinions, he confesses his Redeemer. "Who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity." David does not say, "You have redeemed me from trouble." He says the LORD has.
Rechab and Baanah think they have helped David, but David knows who has carried him through caves, exile, Saul's hatred, Philistine danger, Ziklag, and war. The LORD redeemed his 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:"
(2 Samuel 4:10)
David reaches back to 2 Samuel 1. The Amalekite came saying Saul was dead, expecting reward. David gave him judgment. He refused to rejoice over Saul's death, and now he refuses to reward Ishbosheth's murder.
"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?"
(2 Samuel 4:11)
David calls them "wicked men." and calls Ishbosheth "a righteous person" in this matter. He is not saying Ishbosheth was perfect or that his rival kingship was right. He means Ishbosheth was innocent of any crime deserving this murder. He was killed in his own house, upon his bed. That is a double witness against the assassins. They killed an innocent man, and they did it in the place where he should have been safe. David's argument is, if the messenger of Saul's death was judged, how much more are these murderers?
"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 Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron."
(2 Samuel 4:12)
David commands judgment. Rechab and Baanah are slain. Their hands and feet are cut off and hanged up over the pool in Hebron. Their hands had committed the murder. Their feet had carried the trophy through the night. Now both are publicly marked in judgment. This is severe. It is public justice in a kingdom where treachery had to be condemned plainly. The pool in Hebron becomes a warning, David's throne will not reward assassins.Then the head of Ishbosheth is buried in the sepulchre of Abner. The murderers are disgraced, but the murdered man is honored.
Saul's crown could not be taken by an Amalekite. Abner's death could not be excused by Joab's revenge. Ishbosheth's head could not be welcomed from traitors. David's hands had to stay clean because the LORD was the One establishing him. David knew something Rechab and Baanah did not know: the LORD can fulfill His promise without wicked men trying to help Him along.