9 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

Chapter 4

Book / 9 / 2306 chapter - 4

284

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. (2 Samuel 4:2)

Rechab and Baanah were of the children of Benjamin. This was the tribe that Saul’s family came from. Ishbosheth was slain by Benjaminites.

Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon. (2 Samuel 4:5)

Midday siestas were common in that part of the world, but Ishbosheth's lack of guards suggests carelessness on his part.

So David 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 tomb of Abner in Hebron. (2 Samuel 4:12)

David acted in this manner to prove to the people of Israel that he had neither commanded nor approved of the murder of Mephibosheth, Saul’s son.