2 Samuel 4

Ish-bosheth Murdered

1 When Saul's 1 son 2 heard that Abner had died in Hebron, a he 3 lost heart, and all Israel was b troubled. 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 c Beeroth also was 4 part of Benjamin, 3 because the Beerothites fled to d Gittaim and have been sojourners there until this day.)

4 e Jonathan, 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 f from 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 g Mephibosheth. 5

5 Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the h house 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 they 6 stabbed him i in 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, j who 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, k who has redeemed my life from all adversity, 10 "when l someone 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 m require his 7 blood at your hand and 8 remove you from the earth?" 12 So David n commanded 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 o tomb of Abner in Hebron.

  1. Cross References
    1 Kings 2:5
    Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.
    1 Kings 2:6
    Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.
    1 Kings 2:32 - 34
    So the LORD will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword - Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah - though my father David did not know it.
    2 Timothy 4:14
    Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.
  2. Cross References
    Ezra 4:4
    Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building.
    Isaiah 13:7
    Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man's heart will melt.
  3. Cross References
    Matthew 2:3
    When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
  4. Cross References
    Joshua 18:25
    Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth.
  5. Cross References
    Nehemiah 11:33
    In Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim.
  6. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:3
    Then the king said, " Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 29:1
    Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
    1 Samuel 29:11
    So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
  8. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:6
    Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Here is your servant!
  9. Cross References
    2 Samuel 2:8
    But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
    2 Samuel 2:9
    And he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
  10. Cross References
    2 Samuel 2:23
    However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.
    2 Samuel 20:10
    But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:2
    So Jonathan told David, saying, "My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide.
    1 Samuel 19:10
    Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul's presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.
    1 Samuel 19:11
    Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.
    1 Samuel 23:15
    So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest.
    1 Samuel 25:29
    Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 48:16
    The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
    1 Kings 1:29
    And the king took an oath and said, " As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress.
    Psalms 31:7
    I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities.
  13. Cross References
    2 Samuel 1:2 - 16
    On the third day, behold, it happened that a man came from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 9:5
    Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man.
    Genesis 9:6
    Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.
    Psalms 9:12
    When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble.
  15. Cross References
    2 Samuel 1:15
    Then David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and execute him!" And he struck him so that he died.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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