2 Samuel 4:1 - Forerunner Commentary

2 Samuel 4:1

Ishbosheth Is Murdered

1 When Saul’s¹ son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, ^ahe lost heart, and all Israel was ^btroubled.

2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of troops. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin. (For ^aBeeroth also was part of Benjamin,

3 because the Beerothites fled to ^aGittaim and have been sojourners there until this day.)

4 ^aJonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came ^bfrom Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was ^cMephibosheth.

5 Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the ^ahouse of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon.

6 And they came there, all the way into the house, as though to get wheat, and they¹ stabbed him ^ain the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7 For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain.

8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, ^awho sought your life; and the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.”

9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord lives, ^awho has redeemed my life from all adversity,

10 when ^asomeone told me, saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news, I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag—the one who thought I would give him a reward for his news.

11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous person in his own house on his bed? Therefore, shall I not now ^arequire his blood at your hand and² remove you from the earth?”

12 So David ^acommanded his young men, and they executed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the ^btomb of Abner in Hebron.

Verse Comparison: 2 Samuel 4:1

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American Standard Version
And when `Ish-bosheth', Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

Amplified® Bible
WHEN ISH-BOSHETH, Saul's son [king over Israel], heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his courage failed, and all the Israelites were troubled {and} dismayed.

Contemporary English Version
Ishbosheth felt like giving up after he heard that Abner had died in Hebron. Everyone in Israel was terrified.

Darby English Version
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were enfeebled, and all Israel was troubled.

Good News Bible
When Saul's son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed in Hebron, he was afraid, and all the people of Israel were alarmed.

King James Version
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

New American Standard Bible
Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was disturbed.

New International Version
When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.

New King James Version
When Saul’s son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost heart, and all Israel was troubled.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel felt disturbed.

Revised Standard Version
When Ish-bo'sheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.

Young's Literal Translation
And the son of Saul heareth that Abner `is' dead in Hebron, and his hands are feeble, and all Israel have been troubled.

New English Translation
When Ish-bosheth¹ the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he was very disheartened,² and all Israel was afraid.

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