2 Samuel 4

2 Samuel 4:1-8

Ith-bolheth’s death quickly follows Abner’s. 1. His servants slay him, and bring his head to David, vers. 2—8. 2. David, instead of resurvating them, puts them in death for it, vers. 9—12.

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 hands: the name of the side was Banah, and the name of the other Rechah, the sons of Rimavon a Beerushie, of the children of Benjamin: (for ‘Beerush also was mentioned in Benjamin.) 3. And the Beerushites fled to Gitanim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 4. And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was here of his feet, and 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

Babam Christ supl. Called March-bath Chom. rel. 10. Pl. 10. 8. Mat. rule. 50. Prop. rule 10. Mat. ii 10.

came to pass as the made hafe to flee, that he fell and became lame; and his name was Mephibosheth. 5. And the fons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ith-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 fmote 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 bed-chamber, and they fmote him and flew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and got them away through the plain all night. 8. And they brought the head of Ith-bosheth unto David unto Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ith-bosheth the son of Saul, thine enemy, ‘which fought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his feed.

Abner, the flay of Saul’s family, being dead, Ith-bosheth’s affairs sunk the father; and no other of Saul’s house remained who could pretend to the crown, but a child of Jonathan’s, who was lamed by a fall received when his nurse fled with him on the Philistine’s victory, fearing leath they would utterly cut off her mother’s house; and thus was, both by his age and misfortune, unfit to retrieve their ruined circumstances. Note, (1.) The perils of tender infancy are great; to have escaped them unhurt is a singular mercy. (2.) When God will accomplish his designs, every obstacle in the way will be removed.

In this desperate situation of Ith-bosheth, instead of endeavouring to support or comfort him,

1. Two of his servants conspire his death; brothers not only in blood but iniquity; Benjamines, who, with their fellow-citizens, had deserted Beeroth and fled to Gittam, on the death of Saul, for fear of the Philistines. Pretending business in some of the magazines, which lay near the king’s apartments, they took the opportunity, on his lying down at mid-day to repose himself during the heat, to break into his chamber, and murder him. Note, (1.) The higher a man’s station the more dangerous. (2.) Are we close out eyes let us ever think of our souls, as those who know not whether they ever shall awake again. (3.) A sinking caule is oftener happened to ruin by the treachery of pretended friends, than the attacks of avowed enemies.

2. The murderers fly, and take the head of Ith-bosheth, as thinking it the most acceptable present they can bring to David; and pretending zeal not only for his service, but for avenging God’s quarrel against the house of Saul, would cloak their treachery and regicide under the pretext of religion. Note, Religion hath often been made a cloak for ambition; but God will strip the hypocrite, and cover him with confusion.

3. And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the fons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, At 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 flew 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 flew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and ‘hanged them up over the pool in Hebron: but they took the head of Ith-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

2 Samuel 4:9-12

How greatly were these murderers disappointed! They expected the highest honour, and meet with their just defect, a halter. May such rebellious deeds be thus ever reconquered!

1. David passes sentence upon them on their own evidence. They must have heard his former judgment on the Anglicite; and how much more guilty were they, who done a righteous man, who had never injured them; and though he opposed David, he might do it in the perfusion of a better title to the crown. His blood cried for judgment from David as the chief magistrate; and the treachery of the assassination made the crime more unpardonable; therefore he solemnly swears they shall die, and commands immediate execution of the sentence. Note, (1.) Charity will put the best constructions on the conduct even of those who oppose us unjustly, and rather impute it to ignorance than design. (2.) They who bear the sword of magistracy, shall not bear it in vain.

2. Rechab and Baanah, the conspirators, are immediately executed, and their hands and feet hung up, in terrerem, to deter others from such rebellious deeds, as will as to express David’s abhorrence of such practices, who wished not to wake to a throne in blood, much less by bats assassination. Ith-bosheth’s head is honourably buried with Abner in Hebron; and thus ended the dominion of the house of Saul. Note, Sooner or later every enemy must fall before the Son of David, and his caule prove triumphant over all the powers of earth and hell.