2Samuel, chapter 4, comments

 

2Samuel 4:1 ¶  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 bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin: 3  And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 4  And 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. 5  And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, 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 smote 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 bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night. 8  And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

 

Here is classic treason against a king whose fortunes are waning by two of his commanders looking for a better position, with a more successful future, but who are yet of his own tribe. They did the grisly task of bringing the king’s head to David, thinking as many would naturally think in that world, that bringing the head of a man’s enemy would ingratiate themselves to that leader. However, just as the Amalekite misjudged David’s character or, if you feel cynical about it, his political sense when that Amalekite lied about killing King Saul, so do Baanah and Rechab. This is not the Rechab whose descendants were praised in Jeremiah.

 

Mephibosheth will play a part later in the narrative of David’s rule and Absalom’s rebellion. He is but a crippled child when David wins the civil war between Israel and Judah.

 

One thing to note is that soldiers could be paid in items they needed in those ancient armies. However please note that there is no real evidence for Roman soldiers being paid in salt and therefore the reason that the word salary comes from the Latin word for salt. That is probably a 19^th century myth, among many others that is repeated as fact constantly. In a weak kingdom lacking in the glory and pretense of more modern kingdoms the granary could be part of the king’s house, like the jail being attached to Potiphar’s house in the story of Joseph in Genesis.

 

 

 

2Samuel 4:9 ¶  And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As 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 slew 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 slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

 

So, the conclusion of the matter is laid before us and explained. This shows David’s kingly character and like other things he has done is an astute political move. He has shown all of Israel his respect, not contempt, for them. A king represented God on earth and also was the figurehead of his people. David honors authority, God’s anointing, and common decency. No one should think they can easily do evil and be rewarded by David.