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.
5 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.
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.
8 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.
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 Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

1And when Sauls sonne heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

2And Sauls sonne had two men that were captaines of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sonnes of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Beniamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Beniamin:

3And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were soiourners there vntill this day.)

4And Ionathan, Sauls sonne, had a sonne that was lame of his feete, and was fiue yeeres olde when the tidings came of Saul and Ionathan out of Iezreel, and his nource tooke him vp, and fled: and it came to passe as she made haste to flee, that hee fell, and became lame, and his name was Mephibosheth.

5And the sonnes 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 noone.

6And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would haue fetched wheat, and they smote him vnder the fift rib, and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7For when they came into the house, hee lay on his bedde in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and tooke his head, and gate them away thorow the plaine all night.

8And they brought the head of Ishbosheth vnto Dauid to Hebron, and said to the King, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the sonne of Saul, thine enemie, which sought thy life, and the Lord hath auenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed.

9 And Dauid answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sonnes of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said vnto them, As the Lord liueth, who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersitie,

10When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, ( thinking to haue brought good tidings) I tooke hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would haue giuen him a reward for his tidings:

11How much more, when wicked men haue slaine a righteous person, in his owne house, vpon his bed? Shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

12And Dauid commanded his yong men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feete, and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron: but they tooke the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner, in Hebron.

I == Ezra 4:4 ; Isa 13:7 ; Matt 2:3

 

 

 

 

 

III == Neh 11:33

 

IV == 1st Sam 29:1 , 11 ; 2nd Sam 9:3 ; 1st Chr 8:34 ; 9:40

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI == 2nd Sam 2:23

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIII == 1st Sam 19:2 , 10-11 ; 23:15 ; 25:29

 

 

 

IX == Gen 48:16 ; 1st Kings 1:29 ; Ps 31:7

 

X == 2nd Sam 1:2 , 4 . 15

 

 

 

XI == Gen 9:5-6

 

 

XII == 2nd Sam 1:15 ; 3:32

 

1 When Ishbaal, son of Saul, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he ceased to resist and all Israel was alarmed.

2 Ishbaal, son of Saul, had two company leaders named Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the tribe of Benjamin. (Beeroth, too, was ascribed to Benjamin:

3 the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, where they have been resident aliens to this day.

4 Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son named Meribbaal with crippled feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. But in their hasty flight, he fell and became lame.)

5 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, came into the house of Ishbaal during the heat of the day, while he was taking his siesta.

6 The portress of the house had dozed off while sifting wheat, and was asleep. So Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped past

7 and entered the house while Ishbaal was lying asleep in his bedroom. They struck and killed him, and cut off his head. Then, taking the head, they traveled on the Arabah road all night long.

8 They brought the head of Ishbaal to David in Hebron and said to the king: "This is the head of Ishbaal, son of your enemy Saul, who sought your life. Thus has the LORD this day avenged my lord the king on Saul and his posterity."

9 But David replied to Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite: "As the LORD lives, who rescued me from all difficulty,

10 in Ziklag I seized and put to death the man who informed me of Saul's death, thinking himself the bearer of good news for which I ought to give him a reward.

11 How much more now, when wicked men have slain an innocent man in bed at home, must I hold you responsible for his death and destroy you from the earth!"

12 So at a command from David, the young men killed them and cut off their hands and feet, hanging them up near the pool in Hebron. But he took the head of Ishbaal and buried it in Abner's grave in Hebron.

 

v 1-3. Ishbosheth was fearful of Abner, but with his defection to David and death, Ishbosheth and his people panicked. It may be that the Beerothites did not flee until after their relatives killed Ishbosheth in verse 5. 

 

 

 

v 4. Mephibosheth is introduced, along with the reason for his lameness, at this point, in preparation for further comments about him in chapter nine and subsequent chapters. His original name was Merrib-Baal, 1 Chron. 8:34, meaning “Baal contends”. Mephibosheth means “from the mouth of shamefulness”. It is strange why his and Ishbosheth’s parents, 2:8 gave their sons such heathen names and later changed them as they did, both mentioning shame. Perhaps it had to do with Saul’s shameful pursuit of David or of Pagan name

v 5-8. Two of Ishbosheth’s captains thought they could ingratiate themselves to David by murdering Ishbosheth on his bed and bringing his head as proof.

 

 

 

 

v 9-12. Instead of commending them, David told them of the Amalekite, chapter one, who allegedly finished Saul’s life at his own request and expected a reward from David. These men had murdered a righteous man on his own bed, so David commanded their immediate execution. It would have been against the law to leave their bodies hanging overnight, but their hands and feet were hung up as a reminder to all who came to the pool for water, that David would not tolerate immoral activity to promote his reign. In contrast, Ishbosheth’s head was given proper burial with the body of Abner. Thus David showed respect for the family of Saul.