2 Samuel 4
July 12, 2017
2 Samuel 4
Shawn Bumpers / General
2 Samuel / Ish-bosheth; David
The assassination of Ish-bosheth
Introduction
It’s also a pivotal chapter in this book.
With the death of Saul, David’s circumstances changed dramatically.
He was no longer a fugitive on the run from Saul.
Judah was, of course, David’s own tribe.
It was good for the tribe of Benjamin when Saul was king.
Saul’s military commander, Abner, was propping up Ish-bosheth as king in the north.
Abner saw Ish-bosheth as a puppet king because he was weak.
Over the next years there were minor skirmishes between the two kingdoms.
But David’s strength showed itself … and Ish-Bosheth’s weakness showed, too.
Eisogesis is imposing one’s own presuppositions, agendas, or biases into and onto a Biblical text.
Abner sent word to David saying that he would be willing to defect and use his influence to consolidate the kingdom under David’s rule.
And the two went back and forth using mediators before meeting face to face.
2 Samuel 3:24–25 NKJV
Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
Joab would continue to serve David and would even be the one to kill Absalom, the rebelling son of David and the commander of Absalom’s army and David’s nephew, Amasa.
After Absalom was killed by Joab against a direct order from David not to, David pardoned Amasa and replaced Joab with him (2 Samuel 20).
And Joab then assassinated Amasa.
So that brings us up to where we are today in chapter 4.
Abner is dead, but Ish-bosheth still sits on the throne.
v1
Resistance to David’s rule began to collapse.
In that regard, Joab’s killing of Abner was a benefit to David … however, as we saw from the last chapter, David pursued peace with Abner.
And the text says that Israel was troubled.
Literally, Israel was alarmed by the death of Abner.
2 Samuel 3:17–19 NKJV
Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ” And Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.
As far as David is concerned, if he thought that his position was weakened by the behavior of Joab, not nearly so much as Ish-bosheth.
At least David was a great warrior and gifted in leadership.
v2-3
Baanah means “Son of Oppression.”
Rechab means “Band of Riders.”
Sons of Rimmon.
Experienced leaders of raiding forces, and, as Benjamites, trusted supporters.
This chapter is concerned with Saul’s successors, so it’s no surprise that we have a note about his grandson put in here.
2 Samuel 9:3 NKJV
Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.”
His name means “Dispeller of Shame.”
One reason that this detail may have been inserted here is because we might have expected that a grandchild would have inherited the throne after Ishbosheth.
But the only other survivor of Saul’s family was Mephibosheth who was considered unfit to reign because of his injury.
v5-8
2 Samuel 4:6 RSV
And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept; so Rechab and Baanah his brother slipped in.
So, these guys hastened to carry their trophy, Ishbosheth’s head, to David at Hebron.
v9-12
In chapter 1, the Amalekite claimed that Saul had made an impassioned plea to him for a mercy killing.
And yet, the Amalekite was guilty of murder.
David immediately disowned them.
David’s made it clear that at he had never broken God’s commandment by murdering somebody in order to accomplish his purposes.
They would receive the same reward that the Amalekite had received … a death sentence.
It’s interesting that in verse 11, David describes Ishbosheth as a righteous man.
And this despite the fact that he was possessing the throne that was to be David’s.
Romans 5:21 NKJV
so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:17 NKJV
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Romans 5:21 NKJV
so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20 NKJV
Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
Romans 5:17 NKJV
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
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