Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Samuel 4
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 4
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 4
"And [Ish-bosheth], Saul`s son, [had] two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:" — 2 Samuel 4:2 (ASV)
Beeroth - See the cross-reference. From Joshua 9:17, one might expect the population of Beeroth to have been Canaanite. However, for some unknown reason, the Canaanite inhabitants of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim—perhaps the same city as Gath—and remained there as sojourners.
If this flight took place during Saul’s cruel attack upon the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1–2), then Baanah and Reehab may have been native Beerothites. This would suggest they were motivated to murder Saul’s son by a desire to avenge the blood of their countrymen.
The fact that they were considered Benjamites is entirely compatible with them being Canaanites by blood.
"Now Jonathan, Saul`s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He 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 to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth." — 2 Samuel 4:4 (ASV)
This mention of Mephibosheth seems to be inserted here partly to show that with the death of Ish-bosheth the cause of the house of Saul became hopeless, and partly to prepare the way for the subsequent mention of him (2 Samuel 9:1–13; 2 Samuel 16:1–4; 2 Samuel 19:25).
"And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, as he took his rest at noon." — 2 Samuel 4:5 (ASV)
Lay on a bed at noon - This refers to taking a midday rest, as is the custom in hot countries.
"And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped." — 2 Samuel 4:6 (ASV)
As though they would have fetched wheat - This is a very obscure passage, and the double repetition in 2 Samuel 4:6–7 of the king’s murder and the assassins' escape is hard to explain. One interpretation is that Rechab and Baanah came into the house under the pretense of getting grain from the king’s storehouse, probably for the troops they commanded. In this way, they contrived to gain access to the king’s chamber.
Alternatively, they may have found the wheat-carriers—the people whose job it was to bring grain for the king’s household—just as they were entering the house. By joining them, Rechab and Baanah got into the middle of the house unnoticed. If this second interpretation is correct, a literal translation of the words would be: “And look, the carriers of wheat came into the middle of the house, and they (that is, Rechab and Baanah) struck him...”
"And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron." — 2 Samuel 4:12 (ASV)
Cut off their hands ... - After they were dead. Their hands and feet were hung up in a public place, both to deter others and to let all Israel know that David was not involved in the murder of Ish-bosheth.
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