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2 Samuel 4

ARC · Chapter 4/24

1Ouvindo pois o filho de Saul que Abner morrera em Hebron, as mãos se lhe afrouxaram: e todo o Israel pasmou.

2E tinha o filho de Saul dois homens capitães de tropas: e era o nome d'um Baena, e o nome do outro Rekab, filhos de Rimmon, o beerothita, dos filhos de Benjamin, porque tambem Beeroth se reputava de Benjamin.

3E tinham fugido os beerothitas para Gittaim, e ali tinham peregrinado até ao dia de hoje.

4E Jonathan, filho de Saul, tinha um filho aleijado de ambos os pés: era da edade de cinco annos quando as novas de Saul e Jonathan vieram de Jizreel, e sua ama o tomou, e fugiu: e succedeu que, apressando-se ella a fugir, elle caiu, e ficou côxo; e o seu nome era Mephiboseth.

5E foram os filhos de Rimmon, o beerothita, Rekab e Baena, e entraram em casa de Isboseth no maior calor do dia, estando elle deitado a dormir, ao meio dia.

6E ali entraram até ao meio da casa, como que vindo tomar trigo, e o feriram na quinta costella: e Rekab e Baena, seu irmão, escaparam;

7Porque entraram na sua casa, estando elle na cama deitado, na sua recamara, e o feriram, e o mataram, e lhe cortaram a cabeça; e, tomando a sua cabeça, andaram toda a noite caminhando pela planicie.

8E trouxeram a cabeça d'Isboseth a David, a Hebron, e disseram ao rei: Eis aqui a cabeça de Isboseth, filho de Saul, teu inimigo, que te procurava a morte: assim o Senhor vingou hoje ao rei meu senhor de Saul e da sua semente.

9Porém David, respondendo a Rekab e a Baena, seu irmão, filhos de Rimmon, o beerothita, disse-lhes: Vive o Senhor, que remiu a minha alma de toda a angustia,

10Que, pois se áquelle que me trouxe novas (dizendo: Eis que Saul morto é, parecendo-lhe porém aos seus olhos que era como quem trazia boas novas), eu logo lancei mão d'elle, e o matei em Siclag, cuidando elle que eu por isso lhe désse alviçaras;

11Quanto mais a impios homens, que mataram um homem justo em sua casa, sobre a sua cama: agora, pois, não requereria eu o seu sangue de vossas mãos, e não vos exterminaria da terra?

12E deu David ordem aos seus mancebos que os matassem: e cortaram-lhes os pés e as mãos, e os penduraram sobre o tanque de Hebron: tomaram porém a cabeça d'Isboseth, e a sepultaram na sepultura de Abner, em Hebron.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

With Abner's death, Ish-bosheth loses support and courage. Two of his captains assassinate him while he sleeps and bring his head to David, expecting a reward, but David has them executed for killing an innocent man in his own home.

Explanation

The fall of the house of Saul is completed with the death of the last heir who reigned over Israel. Once again David refuses to profit from a political assassination, reaffirming his commitment to justice even when the crime works in his favor. This pattern of conduct — not taking advantage of others' violence — is what secures his legitimacy as king in the eyes of the people. It is a reminder that the ends do not justify the means, even when the outcome seems advantageous.

Fun facts

  • This chapter introduces Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, who became lame at the age of five after falling while his nurse fled with him — a character who will reappear significantly later, when David fulfills his promise to Jonathan.
  • Beeroth, the city of Ish-bosheth's assassins, originally belonged to the territory of Benjamin, showing that the betrayal came from within Saul's own tribe.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Samuel 4:1On hearing of Abner’s death, Saul’s son loses heart, and all Israel is troubled by the news.
  2. 2 Samuel 4:2Ish-bosheth had two captains, Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon, Benjamites from Beeroth—men who would soon turn against the very king they served.
  3. 2 Samuel 4:3A geographical detail: the people of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim and had lived there as foreigners up to that time.
  4. 2 Samuel 4:4Mephibosheth became lame in both feet because his nurse fled with him in her arms, in haste, when the news of Saul and Jonathan’s death arrived, and he fell—a childhood accident that matters again later, in chapter 9.
  5. 2 Samuel 4:5The two captains, Rechab and Baanah, enter Ish-bosheth’s house in the heat of the day, just when he was lying down for his midday rest.
  6. 2 Samuel 4:6They enter pretending to fetch wheat, and in this way manage to get close and strike down Ish-bosheth, escaping right after.
  7. 2 Samuel 4:7The two kill Ish-bosheth in his own bed, cut off his head, and walk all night carrying it through the plain to David.
  8. 2 Samuel 4:8Rechab and Baanah bring Ish-bosheth’s head to David, claiming that the LORD had avenged the king against Saul and his offspring through them.
  9. 2 Samuel 4:9David answers by swearing by the LORD, who has redeemed his soul out of all trouble, making clear that he will not reward this crime.
  10. 2 Samuel 4:10David recalls the precedent: when the Amalekite brought news of Saul’s death expecting a reward, David had him put to death anyway, in Ziklag—the episode told in chapter 1.
  11. 2 Samuel 4:11David argues: if he punished even the one who merely brought news of Saul’s death, how much more will he punish wicked men who killed an innocent man in his own bed.
  12. 2 Samuel 4:12Cutting off the hands and feet of Ish-bosheth’s killers and hanging up their bodies was David’s way of making it publicly clear that he did not reward regicide—even though he had benefited from his rival’s death.

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