Ishbosheth is Murdered
January 5, 2026
Commentary
When Ishbosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he fell into despair. Instead of strengthening his authority, Abner’s death increased Ishbosheth’s fear and spread panic throughout the nation (4:1). Two brothers from the tribe of Benjamin, commanders in Ishbosheth’s army, decided to take advantage of the situation (4:2–3). They believed that by killing Ishbosheth, they could gain favor with David. The writer pauses to note that no strong heir remained in Saul’s family. Jonathan’s son was still a child and crippled from youth, unable to press any claim to the throne (4:4). Though Ishbosheth was weak, David had no intention of killing him. David trusted that God was working quietly behind the scenes and was willing to wait for God to fulfill His promise.
Watching David become stronger, Ishbosheth’s captains decided they were on the losing side. They planned to kill their own king and then join David. Entering Ishbosheth’s house at midday, they murdered him in his bed (4:5–6). They then cut off his head and traveled through the night to bring it to David in Hebron (4:7–8). They assumed David would welcome their action and reward their loyalty.
David’s response was the same as when the Amalekite claimed to have killed Saul (4:9–10). He was angered by their violence and ordered that the two men be executed. Their hands and feet were cut off, and their bodies were displayed publicly at the pool of Hebron (4:11–12). David regarded their act as a cruel attack on a defenseless man. Once again, David showed that God’s kingdom would not be built through murder, betrayal, or human ambition, but through righteousness and trust in the LORD.
Application
When people around me act out of fear or selfish gain, how do I respond? Do I trust God’s plan, or do I try to move things forward my own way? When waiting feels slow, do I stay faithful or become impatient? Today I ask God to guard my heart from evil choices and teach me to trust Him, even when others choose the wrong path.
2 Samuel 4:1–12 (NET)
1 When Ish Bosheth the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he was very disheartened, and all Israel was afraid. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were in charge of raiding units; one was named Baanah and the other Recab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, who was a Benjaminite. (Beeroth is regarded as belonging to Benjamin, 3 for the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have remained there as resident foreigners until the present time.)
4 Now Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to get away, he fell and was injured. Mephibosheth was his name.
5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite—Recab and Baanah—went at the hottest part of the day to the home of Ish Bosheth, as he was enjoying his midday rest. 6 They entered the house under the pretense of getting wheat and mortally wounded him in the stomach. Then Recab and his brother Baanah escaped.
7 They had entered the house while Ish Bosheth was resting on his bed in his bedroom. They mortally wounded him and then cut off his head. Taking his head, they traveled on the way of the rift valley all that night. 8 They brought the head of Ish Bosheth to David in Hebron, saying to the king, “Look! The head of Ish Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life! The Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king this day against Saul and his descendants!”
9 David replied to Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered my life from all adversity, 10 when someone told me that Saul was dead—even though he thought he was bringing good news —I seized him and killed him in Ziklag. That was the good news I gave to him! 11 Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth?”
12 So David issued orders to the soldiers and they put them to death. Then they cut off their hands and feet and hung them near the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish Bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.