2 Samuel · Chapter 4

Verse 1. All the Israelites were troubled] Abner was their great support; and on him they depended; for it appears that Ish-bosheth was a feeble prince, and had few of those qualities requisite for a sovereign.

Verse 1. His hands were feeble — He was greatly dismayed, as well he might be; for he was in effect disarmed; he had lost both his sword and his shield in Abner. And all the Israelites were troubled — That is, all those who were united to the interest of Ish-bosheth, and probably many others also; for they had lost their great and powerful agent with David; the man in whom both he and they confided; the man who, from his authority and credit, both with the army and the people, was best able to conduct and confirm the league then agreed to on both sides. They feared that, through his death, this treaty would be broken off, or that it would not be managed with so much prudence as Abner would have used; that the fall of this great man would produce some important change, and they were apprehensive it might be of a disastrous kind.

ASSASSINATION OF ISHBOSHETH, 1-12.

1. His hands were feeble — He lost all vigorous hold upon the government, for Abner had been his strength. Troubled — Confounded and alarmed. They knew not what might be the end of these things. They had no confidence in Ishbosheth, and they were not disposed at once to accept the son of Jesse.

Verse 2. Captains of bands] Principes latronum, captains of banditti, says the Vulgate; the Syriac is the same. Whether Ish-bosheth kept bands of marauders, whose business it was to make sudden incursions into the country places, and carry off grain, provisions, cattle, &c., we know not; but such persons would be well qualified for the bloody work in which these two men were afterwards employed.

Verse 2. Captains of bands — Whether of regular forces, or some flying parties, whose business was spoil and prey, is not certain. Perhaps they were captains of two companies of guards about the king.

2. Captains of bands — Leaders of military companies. Compare Acts 10:1. Of Benjamin — The unhappy king falls by the hands of men of his own tribe. Beeroth — The modern Bireh, eight miles north of Jerusalem. See on Joshua 9:17; 18:25.

Verse 3. The Beerothites fled to Gittaim] Probably the same as Gath; as Ramathaim is the same as Ramah.

Verse 3. The Beerothites fled to Gittaim — When Saul was slain, several Israelites left their cities and fled, and the Philistines took possession of them. Among these, it seems, this city was forsaken of its inhabitants; and were sojourners there until this day — When this book was written they were not returned to their own country, being commodiously settled at Gittaim.

3. The Beerothites fled to Gittaim — We are nowhere told the cause of this flight, but it has been plausibly conjectured that it arose from Saul’s persecution of the Gibeonites, (2 Samuel 21:1, 2,) for Beeroth was one of their cities. Joshua 9:17. Perhaps Rimmon or his sons had suffered by that persecution, and this may have been one reason for this bloody deed of the sons. They wreaked vengeance on the son of Saul for the wrongs committed by his father, as well as sought by the same deed to secure the favour of David. Gittaim was apparently not far from Beeroth, and was inhabited by Benjamites after the captivity, (Nehemiah 11:33,) but its site is now unknown.

V. 4. Jonathan had a son-This history is inserted as that which encouraged these men to this wicked murder, because Saul’s family was now reduced to a low ebb; and if Isbosheth was dispatched, there would be none left, but a lame child, who was altogether unfit to manage the kingdom, and therefore the crown must necessarily come to David by their act and deed; for which they promised themselves no small recompense. Jezreel-The place of that last and fatal fight.

Verse 4. He fell, and became lame] Dislocated his ankle, knee, or thigh; which was never after reduced; and thus he became lame. Lovely Jonathan! unfortunate in thy life, and in thy progeny.

Verse 4. Jonathan had a son — This history is inserted as that which encouraged these men to this wicked murder, because Saul’s family was now reduced to a low ebb; and if Ish-bosheth were despatched, there would be none left but a lame child, who was altogether unfit to manage the kingdom, and therefore the crown must necessarily come to David by their act and deed; for which they promised themselves no small recompense. When the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan — That is, the tidings of their death, mentioned 1 Samuel 31.; out of Jezreel — The place of that last and fatal fight.

4. Mephibosheth — Called also Merib-baal. 1 Chronicles 8:34. We shall see in a future period how David cared for him. The object of the historian in introducing here this notice of Mephibosheth was to show that at the death of Ishbosheth there was no other member of Saul’s family that was capable of taking charge of the kingdom of Israel. This son of Jonathan was the heir apparent, and he was physically disabled.

Verse 5. Lay on a bed at noon.] It is a custom in all hot countries to travel or work very early and very late, and rest at noonday, in which the heat chiefly prevails.

Verses 5, 6. Who lay on a bed at noon — As the manner was, and still continues to be, in hot countries. As though they would have fetched wheat — Which was laid up in public granaries in the king’s house, and was fetched thence by the captains and commanders of the army for the pay of their soldiers, who, in those ancient times, were not paid in money, but in corn. Upon this pretence they were admitted into the house, and so went from room to room to the place where the king lay.

5. Lay on a bed at noon — A common custom in the East. “In Arabia it is so hot in July and in August, that, except in a case of pressing necessity, nobody goes out from eleven in the morning till three in the afternoon. The Arabs seldom work during this time; they employ it commonly in sleeping in a vault into which the air is let from above.” — Harmer’s Observations.

V. 6. Fetched wheat-Which was laid up in publick granaries in the king’s house, and was fetched thence by the captains and commanders of the army for the pay of their soldiers, who, in those ancient times were not paid in money, but in corn. Upon this pretence they were admitted into the house, and so went from room to room, to the place where the king lay.

Verse 6. As though they would have fetched wheat] The king’s stores were probably near his own dwelling; and these men were accustomed to go thither for provisions for themselves, their cattle, and their men. This supposition which is natural, renders unnecessary all the emendations of Houbigant and others.

As these men were accustomed to bring wheat from these stores, from which it appears there was an easy passage to the king’s chamber, (especially if we consider this a summer-house, as it most probably was,) no man would suspect their present errand, as they were in the habit of going frequently to that place.

Verses 5, 6. Who lay on a bed at noon — As the manner was, and still continues to be, in hot countries. As though they would have fetched wheat — Which was laid up in public granaries in the king’s house, and was fetched thence by the captains and commanders of the army for the pay of their soldiers, who, in those ancient times, were not paid in money, but in corn. Upon this pretence they were admitted into the house, and so went from room to room to the place where the king lay.

6. The house — Some extensive structure at Mahanaim used for the royal palace, and the treasure-house of the royal stores. As though they would have fetched wheat — From the royal granary. Being royal officers, they were probably accustomed to go to the king’s storehouse for grain. The Septuagint here has the following: “And behold the doorkeeper of the house was winnowing wheat, and he nodded and slept.” The fifth rib — See note on 2 Samuel 2:23.

Verses 7, 8. They smote him, and slew him, &c. — The privacy of the place gave them opportunity to do all this, without discovery. And gat them away through the plain, from Mahanaim to Hebron — It being for the most part a flat country, till they came to ascend the mountain, on the side of which Hebron stood. Hath avenged the king of Saul and of his seed — For they were all now extinguished except his grandson Mephibosheth, who was of no account because of his lameness.

7. Took his head — They probably carried it in a sack, in which they pretended to fetch wheat. They could not otherwise have well escaped at midday. Through the plain — The Jordan valley. See on 2 Samuel 2:29.

Verse 8. They brought the head-unto David] They thought, as did the poor lying Amalekite, to ingratiate themselves with David by this abominable act.

Verses 7, 8. They smote him, and slew him, &c. — The privacy of the place gave them opportunity to do all this, without discovery. And gat them away through the plain, from Mahanaim to Hebron — It being for the most part a flat country, till they came to ascend the mountain, on the side of which Hebron stood. Hath avenged the king of Saul and of his seed — For they were all now extinguished except his grandson Mephibosheth, who was of no account because of his lameness.

8. The Lord hath avenged my lord the king — By these words the assassins thought to gain the favour of David; but, like the Amalekite at Ziklag, they little understood how his soul abhorred their bloody deed.

Verse 9. Who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity] This was, in David’s case, a very proper view of the goodness and watchful providence of God towards him. His life was frequently in danger; murderers had often laid wait for it: but God, the living God, had always redeemed that life from all adversity; and called on him now to punish such evil-minded and blood-thirsty men.

Verse 9. David answered Rechab and Baanah, &c. — Together with this thankful acknowledgment of God’s care of him in all his straits and adversities, he suggests to them that he needed not the help of such men as they were, nor of the commission of wicked acts for his future preservation and advancement. “It was from God only that he sought for deliverance from his troubles and enemies; and he that doth so needeth not the aid of treachery. Even they that need it are often observed to punish it; they that need it not, always will. And surely vindictive justice is then seen in its greatest glory when it is exerted in the chastisement of guilt committed against an enemy; for then no mist either of partiality or prejudice can misguide or obscure it.” — Delaney.

ASSASSINATION OF ISHBOSHETH, 1-12.

1. His hands were feeble — He lost all vigorous hold upon the government, for Abner had been his strength. Troubled — Confounded and alarmed. They knew not what might be the end of these things. They had no confidence in Ishbosheth, and they were not disposed at once to accept the son of Jesse.

Verse 10. A reward for his tidings] JW edei me dounai euaggelia, Septuagint. Here is a proof that euaggelion, evangelium or gospel, signifies the reward which the bringer of good tidings is entitled to receive. See my preface to St. Matthew’s Gospel. See Clarke “Matthew 1:1”.

ASSASSINATION OF ISHBOSHETH, 1-12.

1. His hands were feeble — He lost all vigorous hold upon the government, for Abner had been his strength. Troubled — Confounded and alarmed. They knew not what might be the end of these things. They had no confidence in Ishbosheth, and they were not disposed at once to accept the son of Jesse.

Verse 11. How much more] Here are several things which aggravated the guilt of those wicked men. 1. Ish-bosheth was an innocent man, and therefore none could have any ground of quarrel against him. 2. He was in his own house, which was his sanctuary, and none but the worst of men would disturb him there. 3. He was upon his bed, resting in the heat of the day, and so free from suspicion that he was not even attended by his guards, nor had he his doors secured. To take away the life of such a man, in such circumstances, whom also they professed to hold as their sovereign, was the most abandoned treachery.

Verse 11. How much more, &c. — If he put the Amalekite to death for barely saying that he slew Saul, even at Saul’s own command, and when his life was despaired of, how much more would he take signal vengeance on their united and aggravated treachery and murder? When wicked men have slain a righteous person — For such Ish-bosheth was in respect of them. Saul might have some guilt in the Amalekite’s eye from his former destruction of the Amalekites; but Ish-bosheth could have none with regard to these his murderers, to whom he had done no wrong, but had preferred them to places of trust and honour. In respect of David, however, Ish-bosheth was not righteous, because he opposed him whom he knew God had appointed to the throne. In his own house, upon his bed — This aggravated their crime, and made it very different from that of the Amalekite who slew Saul. Shall I not, therefore, require his blood at your hands? — As persons unworthy to live. There is no one villany which the human mind so naturally, so instinctively abhors as treachery; because it is, perhaps, the only villany from which no man living is secure; and for this reason every man must take pleasure in the punishing it. This conduct of David toward these murderers of Ish-bosheth is well worth our attention; it is a proof of his integrity and piety, and of his detestation of treachery and cruelty. And we may learn from hence, that we ought not only to do no hurt to our enemies, but that we ought not even to rejoice at the hurt which may happen to them without our contributing any thing to it, nor to countenance injustice and vice in any degree, how great advantage soever we may reap from them.

11. A righteous person — Ishbosheth was guilty of no crime. It is doubtful if he would have assumed the regal power without the instance of Abner.

V. 12. David commanded. &c.But what a disappointment to Baanah and Rechab, was the sentence which David passed upon them! And such they will meet with, who think to serve the Son of David, by cruelty or injustice: who under colour of religion, outrage or murder of their brethren, think they do God service. However men may now canonize such methods of serving the church and the catholic cause, Christ will let them know another day, that Christianity was not designed to destroy humanity. And they who thus think to merit heaven, shall not escape the damnation of hell.

Verse 12. And they slew them] None ever more richly deserved death; and by this act of justice, David showed to all Israel that he was a decided enemy to the destruction of Saul’s family; and that none could lift up their hands against any of them without meeting with condign punishment. In all these cases I know not that it was possible for David to show more sincerity, or a stricter regard for justice.

II SAMUEL

Verse 12. David commanded, and they slew them — But what a disappointment to Baanah and Rechab was the sentence which David passed upon them! And such they will meet with who think to serve the Son of David by cruelty or injustice: who, under colour of religion, outrage or murder their brethren, and think they do God service. However men may now canonize such methods of serving the church and the catholic cause, Christ will let them know another day that Christianity was not designed to destroy humanity, And they who thus think to merit heaven, shall not escape the damnation of hell.

Verse 12. David—slew them. What a glory to Israel to have a king clothed with justice: a righteous monarch makes a righteous nation. This act of David would elevate him in the eyes of good men.

12. Cut off their hands and their feet — The hands that wrought the bloody deed, and the feet that brought the horrid tidings. This punishment was executed in the spirit, but not in the letter, of the Mosaic law of retaliation — hand for hand, foot for foot. Exodus 21:24. The pool — Probably one of the large reservoirs still seen at Hebron.