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 (v. 1-8). II. David, instead of rewarding
them, put them to death for what they had done (v. 9-12).
Here is, I. The weakness of Saul's house. Still it grew weaker
and weaker. 1. As for Ishbosheth, who was in possession of the throne, his hands
were feeble, v. 1. All the strength they ever had was from Abner's support,
and now that he was dead he had no spirit left in him. Though Abner had, in a
passion, deserted his interest, yet he hoped, by his means, to make good terms
with David; but now even this hope fails him, and he sees himself forsaken by
his friends and at the mercy of his enemies. All the Israelites that adhered to
him were troubled and at a loss what to do, whether to proceed in their treaty
with David or no. 2. As for Mephibosheth, who in the right of his father
Jonathan had a prior title, his feet were lame, and he was unfit for any
service, v. 4. He was but five years old when his father and grandfather were
killed. His nurse, hearing of the Philistines' victory, was apprehensive that,
in pursuit of it, they would immediately send a party to Saul's house, to cut
off all that pertained to it, and would especially aim at her young master, who
was now next heir to the crown. Under the apprehension of this, she fled with
the child in her arms, to secure it either in some secret place where he could
not be found, or in some strong place where he could not be got at; and, making
more haste than good speed, she fell with the child, and by the fall some bone
was broken or put out, and not well set, so that he was lame of it as long as he
lived, and unfit either for court or camp. See what sad accidents children are
liable to in their infancy, the effect of which may be felt by them, to their
great uneasiness, all their days. Even the children of princes and great men,
the children of good men, for such a one Jonathan was, children that are well
tended, and have nurses of their own to take care of them, yet are not always
safe. What reason have we to be thankful to God for the preservation of our
limbs and senses to us, through the many perils of the weak and helpless state
of infancy, and to own his goodness in giving his angels a charge concerning us,
to bear us up in their arms, out of which there is no danger of falling, Ps.
91:12.
II. The murder of Saul's son. We are here told,
1. Who were the murderers: Baanah and Rechab, v. 2, 3.
They were own brothers, as Simeon and Levi, and partners in iniquity. They were
or had been Ish-bosheth's own servants, employed under him, so much the more
base and treacherous was it in them to do him a mischief. They were Benjamites,
of his own tribe. They were of the city of Beeroth; for some reason which we
cannot now account for care is here taken to let us know (in a parenthesis) that
that city belonged to the lot of Benjamin, so we find (Jos. 18:25), but that the
inhabitants, upon some occasion or other, perhaps upon the death of Saul,
retired to Gittaim, another city which lay not far off in the same tribe, and
was better fortified by nature, being situate (if we may depend upon Mr. Fuller's
map) between the two rocks Bozez and Seneh. There the Beerothites were when this
was written, and probably took root there, and never returned to Beeroth again,
which made Beeroth, that had been one of the cities of the Gibeonites (Jos.
9:17), to be forgotten, and Gittaim to be famous long after, as we find, Neh.
11:33.
2. How the murder was committed, v. 5-7. See here, (1.) The
slothfulness of Ish-bosheth. He lay upon his bed at noon. It does not appear
that the country was at any time of the year so hot as to oblige the inhabitants
to retire at noon, as we are told they do in Spain in the heat of summer; but
Ishbosheth was a sluggish man, loved his ease and hated business: and when he
should have been, at this critical juncture, at the head of his forces in the
field, or at the head of his counsels in a treaty with David, he was lying upon
his bed and sleeping, for his hands were feeble (v. 1), and so were his head and
heart. When those difficulties dispirit us which should rather invigorate us and
sharpen our endeavours we betray both our crowns and lives. Love not sleep,
lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the
destroyer. (2.) The treachery of Baanah and Rechab. They came into the house,
under pretence of fetching wheat for the victualling of their regiments; and
such was the plainness of those times that the king's corn-chamber and his
bed-chamber lay near together, which gave them an opportunity, when they were
fetching wheat, to murder him as he lay on the bed. We know not when and where
death will meet us. When we lie down to sleep we are not sure but that we may
sleep the sleep of death before we awake; nor do we know from what unsuspected
hand a fatal stroke may come. Ish-bosheth's own men, who should have protected
his life, took it away.
3. The murderers triumphed in what they had done. As if they had
performed some very glorious action, and the doing of it for David's advantage
was enough not only to justify it, but to sanctify it, they made a present of
Ish-bosheth's head to David (v. 8): Behold the head of thy enemy, than
which they thought nothing could be more acceptable to him; yea, and they made
themselves instruments of God's justice, ministers to bear his sword, though
they had no commission: The Lord hath avenged thee this day of Saul and of
his seed. Not that they had any regard either to God or to David's honour;
they aimed at nothing but to make their own fortunes (as we say) and to get
preferment in David's court; but, to ingratiate themselves with him, they
pretended a concern for his life, a conviction of his title, and a zealous
desire to see him in full possession of the throne. Jehu pretended zeal for
the Lord of hosts when an ambition to set up himself and his own family was
the spring of his actions.
We have here justice done upon the murderers of Ish-bosheth.
I. Sentence passed upon them. There needed no evidence, their
own tongues witnessed against them; they were so far from denying the fact that
they gloried in it. David therefore shows them the heinousness of the crime, and
that blood called for blood from his hand, who was now the chief magistrate, and
was by office the avenger of blood. And, perhaps, he was the more vigorous in
the prosecution because for reasons of state he had spared Joab: "Shall
I not require the blood of the slain at the hand of the slayers, and, since
they cannot make restitution, take theirs instead of it?" Observe, 1. How
he aggravates the crime, v. 11. Ish-bosheth was a righteous person, he had done
them no wrong, nor designed them any. As to himself, David was satisfied that
what opposition he gave him was not from malice, but mistake, from an idea he
had of his own title to the crown, and the influence of others upon him, who
urged him to put in for it. Note, Charity teaches us to make the best, not only
of our friends, but of our enemies, and to think those may be righteous persons
who yet, in some instances, do us wrong. I must not presently judge a man a bad
man because I think him so to me. David owns Ish-bosheth an honest man, though
he had created him a great deal of trouble unjustly. The manner of it much
aggravated the crime. To slay him in his own house, which should have been his
castle, and upon his bed, when he was in no capacity of making any opposition,
this is treacherous and barbarous, and all that is base, and that which the
heart of every man who is not perfectly lost to all honour and humanity will
rise with indignation at the thought of. Assassinating is confessedly the most
odious and villainous way of murdering. Cursed is he that smiteth his
neighbour secretly. 2. He quotes a precedent (v. 10): he had put him to
death who had brought him the tidings of the death of Saul, because he thought
it would be good tidings to David. Nothing is here said of that Amalekite's
helping Saul to kill himself, only of his bringing the tidings of his death, by
which it should seem that the story he told was upon enquiry found to be false,
and that he lied against his own head. "Now" (says David) "did I
treat him as a criminal, and not a favourite" (as he expected), "who
brought me Saul's crown, and shall those be held guiltless that bring me
Ish-bosheth's head?" 3. He ratifies the sentence with an oath (v. 9): As
the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity. He
expresses himself thus resolutely, to prevent the making of any intercession for
the criminals by those about him, and thus piously to intimate that his
dependence was upon God for the putting of him in possession of the promised
throne, and that he would not be beholden to any man to help him to it by any
indirect or unlawful practices. God had redeemed him from all adversity
hitherto, helped him over many a difficulty and through many a danger, and
therefore he would depend upon him to crown and complete his own work. He speaks
of his redemption from all adversity as a thing done, though he had many a storm
yet before him, because he knew that he who had delivered would deliver. 4.
Hereupon he signs a warrant for the execution of these men, v. 12. This may seem
severe, when they intended him a kindness in what they did; but, (1.) He would
thus show his detestation of the villany. When he heard that the Lord smote
Nabal, he gave thanks (1 Sa. 25:38, 39), for he is the God to whom
vengeance belongeth; but, if wicked men smite Ish-bosheth, they deserve to
die for taking God's work out of his hand. (2.) He would thus show his
resentment of the great affront they put upon him in expecting that he should
patronize and reward it; they could scarcely have done him a greater injury than
thus to think him altogether such a one as themselves, one that cared not what
blood he waded through to the crown.
II. Execution done. The murderers were put to death according to
law, and their hands and feet were hung up; not their whole bodies, the law
forbade that; but only their hands and feet, in terrorem—to frighten
others, to be monuments of David's justice, and to make that to be taken
notice of which would recommend him to the esteem of the people, as a man fit to
rule, and that aimed not at his own preferment, nor had any enmity to the house
of Saul, but only and sincerely designed the public welfare. But what a
confusion was this to the two murderers! What a horrid disappointment! And such
those will meet with who think to serve the interests of the Son of David by any
immoral practices, by war and persecution, fraud and rapine, who, under colour
of religion, murder princes, break solemn contracts, lay countries waste, hate
their brethren, and cast them out, and say, Let the Lord be glorified, kill
them, and think they do God good service. However men may canonize such
methods of serving the church and the catholic cause, Christ will let them know,
another day, that Christianity was not intended to destroy humanity; and those
who thus think to merit heaven shall not escape the damnation of hell.
2 Samuel 4 Bible Commentary
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary (complete)
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 (v. 1-8). II. David, instead of rewarding them, put them to death for what they had done (v. 9-12).
Verses 1-8
Here is, I. The weakness of Saul's house. Still it grew weaker and weaker. 1. As for Ishbosheth, who was in possession of the throne, his hands were feeble, v. 1. All the strength they ever had was from Abner's support, and now that he was dead he had no spirit left in him. Though Abner had, in a passion, deserted his interest, yet he hoped, by his means, to make good terms with David; but now even this hope fails him, and he sees himself forsaken by his friends and at the mercy of his enemies. All the Israelites that adhered to him were troubled and at a loss what to do, whether to proceed in their treaty with David or no. 2. As for Mephibosheth, who in the right of his father Jonathan had a prior title, his feet were lame, and he was unfit for any service, v. 4. He was but five years old when his father and grandfather were killed. His nurse, hearing of the Philistines' victory, was apprehensive that, in pursuit of it, they would immediately send a party to Saul's house, to cut off all that pertained to it, and would especially aim at her young master, who was now next heir to the crown. Under the apprehension of this, she fled with the child in her arms, to secure it either in some secret place where he could not be found, or in some strong place where he could not be got at; and, making more haste than good speed, she fell with the child, and by the fall some bone was broken or put out, and not well set, so that he was lame of it as long as he lived, and unfit either for court or camp. See what sad accidents children are liable to in their infancy, the effect of which may be felt by them, to their great uneasiness, all their days. Even the children of princes and great men, the children of good men, for such a one Jonathan was, children that are well tended, and have nurses of their own to take care of them, yet are not always safe. What reason have we to be thankful to God for the preservation of our limbs and senses to us, through the many perils of the weak and helpless state of infancy, and to own his goodness in giving his angels a charge concerning us, to bear us up in their arms, out of which there is no danger of falling, Ps. 91:12.
II. The murder of Saul's son. We are here told,
1. Who were the murderers: Baanah and Rechab, v. 2, 3. They were own brothers, as Simeon and Levi, and partners in iniquity. They were or had been Ish-bosheth's own servants, employed under him, so much the more base and treacherous was it in them to do him a mischief. They were Benjamites, of his own tribe. They were of the city of Beeroth; for some reason which we cannot now account for care is here taken to let us know (in a parenthesis) that that city belonged to the lot of Benjamin, so we find (Jos. 18:25), but that the inhabitants, upon some occasion or other, perhaps upon the death of Saul, retired to Gittaim, another city which lay not far off in the same tribe, and was better fortified by nature, being situate (if we may depend upon Mr. Fuller's map) between the two rocks Bozez and Seneh. There the Beerothites were when this was written, and probably took root there, and never returned to Beeroth again, which made Beeroth, that had been one of the cities of the Gibeonites (Jos. 9:17), to be forgotten, and Gittaim to be famous long after, as we find, Neh. 11:33.
2. How the murder was committed, v. 5-7. See here, (1.) The slothfulness of Ish-bosheth. He lay upon his bed at noon. It does not appear that the country was at any time of the year so hot as to oblige the inhabitants to retire at noon, as we are told they do in Spain in the heat of summer; but Ishbosheth was a sluggish man, loved his ease and hated business: and when he should have been, at this critical juncture, at the head of his forces in the field, or at the head of his counsels in a treaty with David, he was lying upon his bed and sleeping, for his hands were feeble (v. 1), and so were his head and heart. When those difficulties dispirit us which should rather invigorate us and sharpen our endeavours we betray both our crowns and lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. (2.) The treachery of Baanah and Rechab. They came into the house, under pretence of fetching wheat for the victualling of their regiments; and such was the plainness of those times that the king's corn-chamber and his bed-chamber lay near together, which gave them an opportunity, when they were fetching wheat, to murder him as he lay on the bed. We know not when and where death will meet us. When we lie down to sleep we are not sure but that we may sleep the sleep of death before we awake; nor do we know from what unsuspected hand a fatal stroke may come. Ish-bosheth's own men, who should have protected his life, took it away.
3. The murderers triumphed in what they had done. As if they had performed some very glorious action, and the doing of it for David's advantage was enough not only to justify it, but to sanctify it, they made a present of Ish-bosheth's head to David (v. 8): Behold the head of thy enemy, than which they thought nothing could be more acceptable to him; yea, and they made themselves instruments of God's justice, ministers to bear his sword, though they had no commission: The Lord hath avenged thee this day of Saul and of his seed. Not that they had any regard either to God or to David's honour; they aimed at nothing but to make their own fortunes (as we say) and to get preferment in David's court; but, to ingratiate themselves with him, they pretended a concern for his life, a conviction of his title, and a zealous desire to see him in full possession of the throne. Jehu pretended zeal for the Lord of hosts when an ambition to set up himself and his own family was the spring of his actions.
Verses 9-12
We have here justice done upon the murderers of Ish-bosheth.
I. Sentence passed upon them. There needed no evidence, their own tongues witnessed against them; they were so far from denying the fact that they gloried in it. David therefore shows them the heinousness of the crime, and that blood called for blood from his hand, who was now the chief magistrate, and was by office the avenger of blood. And, perhaps, he was the more vigorous in the prosecution because for reasons of state he had spared Joab: "Shall I not require the blood of the slain at the hand of the slayers, and, since they cannot make restitution, take theirs instead of it?" Observe, 1. How he aggravates the crime, v. 11. Ish-bosheth was a righteous person, he had done them no wrong, nor designed them any. As to himself, David was satisfied that what opposition he gave him was not from malice, but mistake, from an idea he had of his own title to the crown, and the influence of others upon him, who urged him to put in for it. Note, Charity teaches us to make the best, not only of our friends, but of our enemies, and to think those may be righteous persons who yet, in some instances, do us wrong. I must not presently judge a man a bad man because I think him so to me. David owns Ish-bosheth an honest man, though he had created him a great deal of trouble unjustly. The manner of it much aggravated the crime. To slay him in his own house, which should have been his castle, and upon his bed, when he was in no capacity of making any opposition, this is treacherous and barbarous, and all that is base, and that which the heart of every man who is not perfectly lost to all honour and humanity will rise with indignation at the thought of. Assassinating is confessedly the most odious and villainous way of murdering. Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. 2. He quotes a precedent (v. 10): he had put him to death who had brought him the tidings of the death of Saul, because he thought it would be good tidings to David. Nothing is here said of that Amalekite's helping Saul to kill himself, only of his bringing the tidings of his death, by which it should seem that the story he told was upon enquiry found to be false, and that he lied against his own head. "Now" (says David) "did I treat him as a criminal, and not a favourite" (as he expected), "who brought me Saul's crown, and shall those be held guiltless that bring me Ish-bosheth's head?" 3. He ratifies the sentence with an oath (v. 9): As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity. He expresses himself thus resolutely, to prevent the making of any intercession for the criminals by those about him, and thus piously to intimate that his dependence was upon God for the putting of him in possession of the promised throne, and that he would not be beholden to any man to help him to it by any indirect or unlawful practices. God had redeemed him from all adversity hitherto, helped him over many a difficulty and through many a danger, and therefore he would depend upon him to crown and complete his own work. He speaks of his redemption from all adversity as a thing done, though he had many a storm yet before him, because he knew that he who had delivered would deliver. 4. Hereupon he signs a warrant for the execution of these men, v. 12. This may seem severe, when they intended him a kindness in what they did; but, (1.) He would thus show his detestation of the villany. When he heard that the Lord smote Nabal, he gave thanks (1 Sa. 25:38, 39), for he is the God to whom vengeance belongeth; but, if wicked men smite Ish-bosheth, they deserve to die for taking God's work out of his hand. (2.) He would thus show his resentment of the great affront they put upon him in expecting that he should patronize and reward it; they could scarcely have done him a greater injury than thus to think him altogether such a one as themselves, one that cared not what blood he waded through to the crown.
II. Execution done. The murderers were put to death according to law, and their hands and feet were hung up; not their whole bodies, the law forbade that; but only their hands and feet, in terrorem—to frighten others, to be monuments of David's justice, and to make that to be taken notice of which would recommend him to the esteem of the people, as a man fit to rule, and that aimed not at his own preferment, nor had any enmity to the house of Saul, but only and sincerely designed the public welfare. But what a confusion was this to the two murderers! What a horrid disappointment! And such those will meet with who think to serve the interests of the Son of David by any immoral practices, by war and persecution, fraud and rapine, who, under colour of religion, murder princes, break solemn contracts, lay countries waste, hate their brethren, and cast them out, and say, Let the Lord be glorified, kill them, and think they do God good service. However men may canonize such methods of serving the church and the catholic cause, Christ will let them know, another day, that Christianity was not intended to destroy humanity; and those who thus think to merit heaven shall not escape the damnation of hell.