II Samuel 4
ืฉืืืื ืืณ ืคืจืง ืืณ
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืจืืฉืื ืื | Book: II Samuel | Chapter: 4 of 24 | Day: 80 of 742
Date: May 2, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 4 closes the long civil war between the houses of Shaul and David with one of the most morally uncomfortable scenes in the book. The chapter has the architecture of a tragedy in three movements: the political vacuum left by the death of Avner (verses 1-3), a parenthetical genealogical aside about Yehonatanโs crippled son Mefivoshet (verse 4), and the assassination of Ish Boshet by two of his own military commanders, followed by Davidโs furious repudiation and execution of the murderers (verses 5-12). The narrative is taut and almost cinematic, oscillating between the bedchamber where Ish Boshet is killed at his midday rest and the public pool at Chevron where the heads of his killers are eventually displayed.
The opening note that โhis hands grew weak and all Yisrael was alarmedโ (ืืืจืคื ืืืื ืืื ืืฉืจืื ื ืืืื) is more than a statement of personal fear. The Metzudat David explains that the people had grasped that Avnerโs heart had turned toward David, and they suspected โ wrongly โ that David had been behind Avnerโs murder. The northern tribes therefore froze in their political deliberations: they would not crown David until they had seen with their own eyes how he treated those who killed for his benefit. The whole chapter is, in that sense, a public test of Davidโs hands. The narrator then introduces Reโchav and Baโanah, two company commanders (ืฉึธืืจึตื ืึฐืืึผืึดืื) from the Binyaminite town of Beโerot, with the strange parenthetical that Beโerot is reckoned with Binyamin and that the Beโerotim had once fled to Gittayim and remained there as sojourners (ืืจืื). This compressed background is essential: these are not foreign assassins but men who once served in Shaulโs tribal infrastructure and now seek to ingratiate themselves with the rising king.
Verse 4 interrupts the assassination plot with a sudden, almost mournful aside about Mefivoshet, the five-year-old son of Yehonatan whose nurse dropped him in the panicked flight from Yizreโel after the news of Shaul and Yehonatanโs deaths. He becomes ื ึฐืึตื ืจึทืึฐืึธืึดื, lame in both feet, and the narrator notes that this subject will be resumed later (chapter 9). The Radak captures the deeper purpose of the insertion: the chronicler is signaling that with Ish Boshetโs impending death, the house of Shaul has effectively run out of viable heirs. Mefivoshet is a child, physically broken, and politically impossible. The throne of Yisrael now lies open. The intercutting of the Mefivoshet aside between Ish Boshetโs panic and his murder is a deliberate literary device: it forecloses any future claim before the murder is even narrated.
The killing itself is rendered with deliberate physical detail. Reโchav and Baโanah enter the house at the heat of the day, when, as the Targum on verse 5 notes, kings habitually sleep. They penetrate โas those fetching wheatโ โ disguised, the Rashi and Metzudat David explain, as grain merchants โ strike Ish Boshet under the fifth rib, behead him, and travel all night through the Aravah to deliver the head to David at Chevron. Their speech upon presenting the head is chilling in its theological pretension: โHashem has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Shaul and on his seedโ (ืืืชื ืโ ืืืื ื ืืืื ื ืงืืืช ืืืื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืจืขื). They have invoked divine sanction for an act of cold political murder, and they have miscalculated David catastrophically.
Davidโs response is one of the great moral set-pieces of the book. He invokes the formula ืื ืโ ืืฉืจ ืคืื ืืช ื ืคืฉื ืืื ืฆืจื โ โas Hashem lives, who has redeemed my soul from every troubleโ โ and then constructs a kal vachomer that doubles as autobiography. The Amalekite who claimed to have killed Shaul at Shaulโs own request, on the battlefield, fatally wounded already (chapter 1) โ even he was put to death by David. How much more so men who murdered an innocent man (ืืืฉ ืฆืืืง) in his own house, on his own bed. The phrase ืืืฉ ืฆืืืง applied to Ish Boshet is striking; it does not necessarily mean righteous in a moral-religious sense but innocent of any capital offense against the assassins. David has them killed, their hands and feet โ the very limbs that performed and traveled to perform the murder โ cut off, and the bodies hung at the public pool of Chevron as a deterrent and as a public statement. The Radak notes the political point of the display: so that everyone would see and know that David, in the uprightness of his heart, avenged the house of Shaul even though they had been his enemies. Ish Boshetโs head is given honorable burial in Avnerโs grave, the two protagonists of the failed northern monarchy joined in death. The chapter that began with weakened hands ends with severed hands suspended above water โ and with the throne of Yisrael at last unobstructed before David.
ืคืจืง ืืณ ยท Chapter 4
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืึทึฃืข ืึผึถืึพืฉืึธืึืึผื ืึผึดึฃื ืึตึคืช ืึทืึฐื ึตืจึ ืึผึฐืึถืึฐืจึืึนื ืึทืึผึดืจึฐืคึผึืึผ ืึธืึธึืื ืึฐืืืึพืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ื ึดืึฐืึธึฝืืึผื
English:
When [Ish-bosheth] son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost heartahe lost heart Lit. โhis hands weakenedโ; and so frequently. and all Israel was alarmed.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึผืฉืึฐื ึตึฃื ืึฒื ึธืฉืึดึฃืื ืฉืึธืจึตึฝืึพืึฐืืึผืึดึฃืื ืึธืึชืึผ ืึถืึพืฉืึธืึื๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝื ืฉืึตืึฉ ืึธืึถืึธึจื ืึผึทืขึฒื ึธึื ืึฐืฉืึตึงื ืึทืฉืึผึตื ึดึฃื ืจึตืึธึื ืึผึฐื ึตึื ืจึดืึผึฅืึนื ืึทืึผึฐืึตืจึนืชึดึื ืึดืึผึฐื ึตึฃื ืึดื ึฐืึธืึดึื ืึผึดึื ืึผึทืึพืึผึฐืึตืจึืึนืช ืชึผึตืึธืฉืึตึื ืขึทืึพืึผึดื ึฐืึธืึดึฝืื
English:
The son of Saul [had] two company commanders, one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the BeerothiteโBenjaminites, since Beeroth too was considered part of Benjamin.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืึฐืจึฐืึฅืึผ ืึทืึผึฐืึตืจึนืชึดึืื ืึผึดืชึผึธึืึฐืึธื ืึทืึผึดืึฐืืึผึพืฉืึธึฃื ืึผึธืจึดึืื ืขึทึื ืึทืึผึฅืึนื ืึทืึผึถึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
The Beerothites had fled to Gittaim,bGittaim Gittaim was likewise in Benjamin; cf. Neh. 11.31ff. where they have sojourned to this day.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึดืืึฝืึนื ึธืชึธืึ ืึผึถืึพืฉืึธืึืึผื ืึผึตึื ื ึฐืึตึฃื ืจึทืึฐืึธึืึดื ืึผึถืึพืึธืึตึฃืฉื ืฉืึธื ึดึฃืื ืึธืึธึกื ืึผึฐืึนึฃื ืฉืึฐืึปืขึทืชึฉ ืฉืึธืึจืึผื ืึดืืืึนื ึธืชึธึื ืึดึฝืึผึดืึฐืจึฐืขึถึืื ืึทืชึผึดืฉืึผึธืึตึคืืึผ ืึนึฝืึทื ึฐืชึผืึนึ ืึทืชึผึธื ึนึืก ืึทืึฐืึดึื ืึผึฐืืืคึฐืึธึฅืึผ ืึธื ึืึผืก ืึทืึผึดืคึผึนึฅื ืึทืึผึดืคึผึธืกึตึืึท ืึผืฉืึฐืึฅืึน ืึฐืคึดืืึนึฝืฉืึถืชื
English:
(Jonathan son of Saul had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up and fled; but as she was fleeing in haste, he fell and was lamed. His name was Mephibosheth.cMephibosheth The original form of the name, Merib-baal, is preserved in 1 Chron. 8.34; 9.40. Cf. note at 2.8 on Ish-bosheth. This subject is resumed in chapter 9.)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึตึจืึฐืึืึผ ืึผึฐื ึตึฝืึพืจึดืึผึคืึนื ืึทืึผึฐืึตึฝืจึนืชึดืึ ืจึตืึธึฃื ืึผืึทืขึฒื ึธึื ืึทืึผึธืึนึืืึผึ ืึผึฐืึนึฃื ืึทืึผึืึนื ืึถืึพืึผึตึืืช ืึดึฃืืฉื ืึผึนึืฉืึถืช ืึฐืึฃืึผื ืฉืึนืึตึื ืึตึืช ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึทึฅื ืึทึฝืฆึผืื๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืจึธึฝืึดืื
English:
Rechab and Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, started out, and they reached the home of Ish-bosheth at the heat of the day, when he was taking his midday rest.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึฐึ ืึตื ึผึธึ ื ืึผึธึืืึผ ืขึทืึพืชึผึคืึนืึฐ ืึทืึผึทึืึดืชึ ืึนืงึฐืึตึฃื ืึดืึผึดึืื ืึทืึผึทืึผึปึืืึผ ืึถืึพืึทืึนึืึถืฉื ืึฐืจึตืึธึื ืึผืึทืขึฒื ึธึฅื ืึธืึดึืื ื ึดืึฐืึธึฝืืึผื
English:
So they went inside the house, as though fetching wheat, and struck him in the belly.dSo they went inside โฆ in the belly Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads, โAnd behold, the woman who kept the door of the house was cleaning wheat. She became drowsy and fell asleep.โ Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped by,
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธืึนึฃืืึผ ืึทืึผึทึืึดืช ืึฐืึฝืึผืึพืฉืึนืึตึคื ืขึทืึพืึดืึผึธืชืึนึ ืึผึทืึฒืึทึฃืจ ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืึืึน ืึทืึผึทืึผึปึืืึผึ ืึทืึฐืึดืชึปึืืึผ ืึทืึผึธืกึดึืืจืึผ ืึถืชึพืจึนืืฉืึืึน ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืืึผึ ืึถืชึพืจึนืืฉืึืึน ืึทืึผึตึฅืึฐืึืึผ ืึผึถึฅืจึถืึฐ ืึธืขึฒืจึธืึธึื ืึผืืึพืึทืึผึธึฝืึฐืึธืื
English:
and entered the house while he was asleep on his bed in his bedchamber; and they stabbed him to death. They cut off his head and took his head and made their way all night through the Arabah.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึทึ ืึผึธืึดึ ืืึผ ืึถืชึพืจึนึจืืฉื ืึดึฝืืฉืึพืึผึนึฅืฉืึถืช ืึถืึพืึผึธืึดืึฎ ืึถืึฐืจืึนืึ ืึทืึผึนึฝืืึฐืจืึผึ ืึถืึพืึทืึผึถึืึถืึฐ ืึดื ึผึตืึพืจึนึฃืืฉื ืึดึฝืืฉืึพืึผึนึืฉืึถืช ืึผึถืึพืฉืึธืืึผืึ ืึนึฝืึดืึฐืึธึ ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึผึดืงึผึตึืฉื ืึถืชึพื ึทืคึฐืฉืึถึืึธ ืึทืึผึดืชึผึตึฃื ืึฐึ ืึนืึธึ ื ืึทืืึนื ึดึจื ืึทืึผึถึคืึถืึฐ ื ึฐืงึธืืึนืชึ ืึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึผึถึื ืึดืฉืึผึธืึืึผื ืึผืึดืึผึทืจึฐืขึฝืึนื
English:
They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron. โHere,โ they said to the king, โis the head of your enemy, Ish-bosheth son of Saul, who sought your life. This day GOD has avenged my lord the king upon Saul and his offspring.โ
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึทึจืขึทื ืึผึธืึดึื ืึถืชึพืจึตืึธึฃืโื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึผึทืขึฒื ึธึฃื ืึธืึดึืื ืึผึฐื ึตึื ืจึดืึผึฅืึนื ืึทืึผึฐืึตืจึนืชึดึื ื๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืึผึนึฃืืึถืจ ืึธืึถึื ืึทืึพืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืคึผึธืึธึฅื ืึถืชึพื ึทืคึฐืฉืึดึื ืึดืึผืืึพืฆึธืจึธึฝืื
English:
But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, โAs GOD lives, who has rescued me from every trouble:
ืคืกืืง ืืด ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃื ืึทืึผึทืึผึดืืึฉ ืึดึจื ืึตืืึนึืจ ืึดื ึผึตืึพืึตึฃืช ืฉืึธืึืึผื ืึฐืึฝืึผืึพืึธืึธึคื ืึดืึฐืึทืฉืึผึตืจึ ืึผึฐืขึตืื ึธึืื ืึธืึนืึฒืึธึฃื ืึืึน ืึธืึถืึฐืจึฐืึตึืืึผ ืึผึฐืฆึดึฝืงึฐืึธึื ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึฐืชึดืชึผึดืึพืึืึน ืึผึฐืฉืึนืจึธึฝืื
English:
The one who told me in Ziklag that Saul was dead thought he was bringing good news. But instead of rewarding him for the news, I seized and killed him.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึทึืฃ ืึผึดึฝืึพืึฒื ึธืฉืึดึฃืื ืจึฐืฉืึธืขึดึืื ืึธืจึฐืึงืึผ ืึถืชึพืึดืืฉืึพืฆึทืึผึดึืืง ืึผึฐืึตืืชึืึน ืขึทืึพืึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืึืึน ืึฐืขึทืชึผึธึื ืึฒืึจืึนื ืึฒืึทืงึผึตึคืฉื ืึถืชึพืึผึธืืึนึ ืึดืึผึถืึฐืึถึื ืึผืึดืขึทืจึฐืชึผึดึฅื ืึถืชึฐืึถึื ืึดืึพืึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅื
English:
How much more, then, when wicked men have killed an innocent man in bed in his own house! I will certainly avenge his blood on you, and I will rid the earth of you.โ
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึทืึฐืฆึทืึฉ ืึผึธืึดึจื ืึถืชึพืึทื ึผึฐืขึธืจึดึืื ืึทืึผึทืึทืจึฐืึืึผื ืึทึฝืึฐืงึทืฆึผึฐืฆึคืึผ ืึถืชึพืึฐืึตืืึถืึ ืึฐืึถืชึพืจึทืึฐืึตืืึถึื ืึทืึผึดืชึฐืึฅืึผ ืขึทืึพืึทืึผึฐืจึตืึธึื ืึผึฐืึถืึฐืจึืึนื ืึฐืึตึจืช ืจึนึคืืฉื ืึดึฝืืฉืึพืึผึนึืฉืึถืชึ ืึธืงึธึืืึผ ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืึผึฐืจึฅืึผ ืึฐืงึถืึถืจึพืึทืึฐื ึตึืจ ืึผึฐืึถืึฐืจึฝืึนืืย {ืค}
English:
David gave orders to the young men, who killed them; they cut off their hands and feet and hung them up by the pool in Hebron. And they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner at Hebron.
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