2 Samuele 4:5 Commento

When Abner was slain David was at a loss for a friend to perfect the reduction of those tribes that were yet in Ish-bosheth's interest. Which way to adopt for the accomplishment of it he could not tell; but here Providence brings it about by the removal of Ish-bosheth. I. Two of his own servants slew him, and brought his head to David (Sa2 4:1-8). II. David, instead of rewarding them, put them to death for what they had done (Sa2 4:9-12).

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 4 This chapter relates the concern the death of Abner gave to Ishbosheth, and the men of Israel, Sa2 4:1; the murder of Ishbosheth by two of his captains, who cut off his head, and brought it to David, Sa2 4:2; by whom they were rewarded according to their deserts, he putting them to death, and exposing their bodies to shame and ignominy, Sa2 4:9.

And they came thither into the midst of the house,.... They not only came unto it, but entered into it, and went into the inmost part of it; the guards being asleep also perhaps, or not on duty, so that there were none to obstruct them; or if there were, they deceived them, since they went in as though they would have fetched wheat; out of the king's granaries, for the payment and support of the soldiers under them, who in those days were paid in corn, as were the Roman soldiers (y) in later times; and these granaries might not only be in the king's house, but near his bedchamber; for in those ancient ages of simplicity there was not such grandeur in the courts of princes as now; the Targum is,"as sellers of wheat,'' in the guise and habit of such persons, pretending they came to sell wheat to the king's purveyors, who were at the granaries; or, as others interpret it, they went in along with the wheat merchants as if they belonged to them, and so found their way to the king's bedchamber: and smote him under the fifth rib; See Gill on Sa2 2:23, and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped; they got out of the palace after they had committed the murder undiscovered and unsuspected. (y) Vid. Valtrinum de re militar. Roman. l. 3. c. 15. p. 236.

Some account of Rechab and Baanah, two of Ish-bosheth's captains, and of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, Sa2 4:1-4. Rechab and Baanah murder Ish-bosheth, and escape; and bring his head to David, Sa2 4:5-8. David is greatly irritated, and commands them to be slain, Sa2 4:9-12.

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.

BAANAH AND RECHAB SLAY ISH-BOSHETH, AND BRING HIS HEAD TO HEBRON. (Sa2 4:1-2) Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet--This is mentioned as a reason why, according to Oriental notions, he was considered unfit for exercising the duties of sovereignty.

Rechab and Baanah went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, &c.--It is still a custom in the East to allow their soldiers a certain quantity of corn, together with some pay; and these two captains very naturally went to the palace the day before to fetch wheat, in order to distribute it to the soldiers, that it might be sent to the mill at the accustomed hour in the morning.