2 Samuel 4

Ish-bosheth Murdered

1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, f his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth ( g for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 h the Beerothites fled i to Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

4 j Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan k came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him l in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 1 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of m the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, n who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring." 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, o "As the Lord lives, p who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 q when one told me, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, r I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now s require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?" 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it t in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

  1. Cross References
    Ezra 4:4
    Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build
    Isaiah 13:7
    Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt.
    Jeremiah 6:24
    We have heard the report of it; our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labor.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 18:25
    Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:7
    And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.
  4. Cross References
    Nehemiah 11:33
    Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim.
  5. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:3
    And the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.
    2 Samuel 9:6
    And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, "Mephibosheth!" And he answered, "Behold, I am your servant.
  6. Cross References
    1 Samuel 29:1
    Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
    1 Samuel 29:11
    So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
  7. Cross References
    2 Samuel 2:23
    But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.
  8. Cross References
    2 Samuel 2:29
    And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim.
    Deuteronomy 1:1
    These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:10 - 11
    And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
    1 Samuel 23:15
    David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.
  10. Cross References
    Ruth 3:13
    Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.
  11. Cross References
    1 Kings 1:29
    And the king swore, saying, "As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity.
  12. Cross References
    2 Samuel 1:4 - 10
    And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.
  13. Cross References
    2 Samuel 1:15
    Then David called one of the young men and said, "Go, execute him." And he struck him down so that he died.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 9:5 - 6
    And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.
  15. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:32
    They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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