2 Samuel 4:1 - Meaning and Application

Here, we see the weakness of Saul’s house. It kept growing weaker and weaker. Ish-bosheth, the man on the throne, had weak hands, meaning he had no real strength or courage left (2 Samuel 4:1). Everything he had depended on Abner’s support, and when Abner died, he lost heart. He had hoped Abner’s help might still lead to peace terms with David, but that hope was gone, and he felt abandoned by his friends and exposed to his enemies.

All the Israelites who stayed loyal to him were troubled and unsure what to do. They did not know whether they should continue the talks with David or stop. Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, had an even weaker position. By his father’s right, he had the better claim to the throne, but his feet were lame, so he was not fit for public service or rule (2 Samuel 4:4). He was only five years old when his father Jonathan and his grandfather Saul were killed.

When his nurse heard that the Philistines had won, she feared they would soon attack Saul’s house and try to kill the child, the next heir to the crown. So she fled with him in her arms, hoping to hide him or keep him in a safe place. In her haste, she fell with the child, and some bone was broken or put out of joint. It was never properly set, and he remained lame for the rest of his life. This reminds us how many sad accidents children face in early life, and how those early hurts can trouble them for years. Even the children of princes, and the children of good men like Jonathan, are not always safe. We should thank God for keeping our limbs and senses through the dangers of infancy, and for the care of his angels, who bear us up so that we do not fall (Psalm 91:12).

Now comes the murder of Saul’s son. The murderers were Baanah and Rechab, who were brothers and partners in evil (2 Samuel 4:2-3). They had been Ish-bosheth’s own servants, which made their betrayal even more shameful. They were Benjamites, from his own tribe. They were from Beeroth, though the comment notes that the people of that city had moved to Gittaim, another city in Benjamin, and seem to have settled there for good.

This murder happened because Ish-bosheth was careless and lazy. He was lying on his bed at noon (2 Samuel 4:5-7). It seems the climate did not require a midday rest, so this was more a sign of sloth than necessity. At this critical time, he should have been leading his forces or managing peace talks with David. Instead, he was asleep. When difficulties should wake us up and make us work harder, but instead they make us dull and faint, we betray both our safety and our honor. We should not love sleep too much, or it may lead to poverty and ruin.

Baanah and Rechab came into the house pretending they were there to get wheat for their troops. In those simpler times, the king’s storage room and his bedroom were near each other, so they had a chance to kill him while he was lying on the bed. We never know when or where death will find us. Even when we lie down to sleep, we cannot be sure we will wake up in the morning. Ish-bosheth was killed by his own men, the very ones who should have protected him.

The murderers then boasted about what they had done. They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David as if they had done something noble and great (2 Samuel 4:8). They thought, “Behold the head of your enemy,” and they expected David to be pleased. They also said that the Lord had avenged David that day on Saul and his family. They did not truly care about God or David’s honor. They only wanted to advance their own fortunes and win favor in David’s court. They acted like Jehu, who pretended zeal for the Lord of hosts while really seeking power for himself and his family.