4 And Jonathan, H3083 Saul's H7586 son, H1121 had a son H1121 that was lame H5223 of his feet. H7272 He was five H2568 years H8141 old H1121 when the tidings H8052 came H935 of Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 out of Jezreel, H3157 and his nurse H539 took him up, H5375 and fled: H5127 and it came to pass, as she made haste H2648 to flee, H5127 that he fell, H5307 and became lame. H6452 And his name H8034 was Mephibosheth. H4648
And the king H4428 said, H559 Is there not H657 yet any H376 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 that I may shew H6213 the kindness H2617 of God H430 unto him? And Ziba H6717 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Jonathan H3083 hath yet a son, H1121 which is lame H5223 on his feet. H7272
Now the Philistines H6430 gathered together H6908 all their armies H4264 to Aphek: H663 and the Israelites H3478 pitched H2583 by a fountain H5869 which is in Jezreel. H3157
So David H1732 and his men H582 rose up early H7925 to depart H3212 in the morning, H1242 to return H7725 into the land H776 of the Philistines. H6430 And the Philistines H6430 went up H5927 to Jezreel. H3157
Now the Philistines H6430 fought H3898 against Israel: H3478 and the men H582 of Israel H3478 fled H5127 from before H6440 the Philistines, H6430 and fell down H5307 slain H2491 in mount H2022 Gilboa. H1533 And the Philistines H6430 followed hard H1692 upon Saul H7586 and upon his sons; H1121 and the Philistines H6430 slew H5221 Jonathan, H3083 and Abinadab, H41 and Malchishua, H4444 Saul's H7586 sons. H1121 And the battle H4421 went sore H3513 against Saul, H7586 and the archers H3384 H582 H7198 hit H4672 him; and he was sore H3966 wounded H2342 of the archers. H3384 H582 H7198 Then said H559 Saul H7586 unto his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 Draw H8025 thy sword, H2719 and thrust me through H1856 therewith; lest these uncircumcised H6189 come H935 and thrust me through, H1856 and abuse H5953 me. But his armourbearer H5375 H3627 would H14 not; for he was sore H3966 afraid. H3372 Therefore Saul H7586 took H3947 a sword, H2719 and fell H5307 upon it. And when his armourbearer H5375 H3627 saw H7200 that Saul H7586 was dead, H4191 he fell H5307 likewise upon his sword, H2719 and died H4191 with him. So Saul H7586 died, H4191 and his three H7969 sons, H1121 and his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 and all his men, H582 that same day H3117 together. H3162 And when the men H582 of Israel H3478 that were on the other side H5676 of the valley, H6010 and they that were on the other side H5676 Jordan, H3383 saw H7200 that the men H582 of Israel H3478 fled, H5127 and that Saul H7586 and his sons H1121 were dead, H4191 they forsook H5800 the cities, H5892 and fled; H5127 and the Philistines H6430 came H935 and dwelt H3427 in them. And it came to pass on the morrow, H4283 when the Philistines H6430 came H935 to strip H6584 the slain, H2491 that they found H4672 Saul H7586 and his three H7969 sons H1121 fallen H5307 in mount H2022 Gilboa. H1533 And they cut off H3772 his head, H7218 and stripped off H6584 his armour, H3627 and sent H7971 into the land H776 of the Philistines H6430 round about, H5439 to publish H1319 it in the house H1004 of their idols, H6091 and among the people. H5971 And they put H7760 his armour H3627 in the house H1004 of Ashtaroth: H6252 H1045 and they fastened H8628 his body H1472 to the wall H2346 of Bethshan. H1052
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 4
Commentary on 2 Samuel 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
2Sa 4:1, 2. Baanah and Rechab Slay Ish-bosheth, and Bring His Head to Hebron.
4. Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet—This is mentioned as a reason why, according to Oriental notions, he was considered unfit for exercising the duties of sovereignty.
5, 6. Rechab and Baanah went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, &c.—It is still a custom in the East to allow their soldiers a certain quantity of corn, together with some pay; and these two captains very naturally went to the palace the day before to fetch wheat, in order to distribute it to the soldiers, that it might be sent to the mill at the accustomed hour in the morning.
7. when they came into the house, he lay on his bed—Rechab and Baanah came in the heat of the day, when they knew that Ish-bosheth, their master, would be resting on his divan; and as it was necessary, for the reason just given, to have the corn the day before it was needed, their coming at that time, though it might be a little earlier than usual, created no suspicion, and attracted no notice [Harmer].
gat them away through the plain—that is, the valley of the Jordan, through which their way lay from Mahanaim to Hebron.
8. They brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David … and said, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth—Such bloody trophies of rebels and conspirators have always been acceptable to princes in the East, and the carriers have been liberally rewarded. Ish-bosheth being a usurper, the two assassins thought they were doing a meritorious service to David by removing the only existing obstacle to the union of the two kingdoms.
2Sa 4:10-12. David Causes Them to Be Put to Death.
12. slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet—as the instruments in perpetrating their crime. The exposure of the mutilated remains was intended as not only a punishment of their crime, but also the attestation of David's abhorrence.