1 & 2 Samuel

2 Samuel Chapter 4

Ish-bosheth Murdered

• 2Samuel 4:1  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 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: 
• 3  And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 
• 4  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. 

At the death of Abner so many were afraid for their lives. Not knowing the heart and soul of David toward the family of Saul, they were what we would call scared to death. Their captains fled to a city north of Jerusalem and plotted to kill Ishbosheth to get in good with David. Wow, the things people did back then probably puzzle those that live in civilized countries today. They figured there were no other sons of Saul that could take the throne so they plotted this to save their own selves from being killed. They didn't know David though. This was a bad mistake.

Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth that was lame because of His nurse fleeing with him when he was five and caused him to fall. She feared the soldiers that were advancing upon them in that day. This made Mephibosheth unable to become king after the death of Ishbosheth which could be the reason Mephibosheth is mentioned here. Saul's family was not a threat to David at this time.

They lost the best warrier and military leader that served Saul many years. Ishbosheth became weakened and feeble when he heard the news that Abner was dead. His fear made him physically ill it seems.

• 2Samuel 4:5  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 gat them away through the plain all night. 

By pretending to come in to get wheat, while Ishobsheth was in a weakened condition they not only killed him but beheaded him and took the head to David hoping to convince David that they were on his side.

• 2Samuel 4:8  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. 

They even brought the Lord into this as an excuse to kill Ishbosheth. What a rude awakening was ready to hit them. Notice how all the sudden everyone seems to remember that Samuel anointed David to be king and Saul to lose the kingdom. Now they start mentioning God and pretending to support David.

• 2Samuel 4:9  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, 
• 10  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: 
• 11  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? 
• 12  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. 

Ishbosheth was tired and weary and probably had no intention of fighting for his right to be king at this time. The men who thought they were going to be rewarded were killed instead. Like I've said before, David would have been the best friend and supporter to Saul if Saul would not have resorted to envy and jealousy. That unfounded jealousy destroyed the relationship of someone  faithful. David would have supported Saul until God removed him as king but I believe even after that would have happened, he would have been kind, not fearful. A very sad story but the evil murderers did not get away with it. There is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. When our motive is to get in good with someone by deception, that is the wrong way. A good way to avoid this is to keep our eyes on the Lord and follow Him in righteousness.

David buried the head of Ishosheth in the tome of Abner showing his respect for the son of Saul. Hard to fight people so devoted even when the person he was devoted to turned against him. He recognized God's anointing was once on Saul and that was enough to cause David to treat Saul's  whole house with respect. -DC

2 Samuel Chapter 5