Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 4:11
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
11. a righteous person ] “A man who had done no one any harm,” as Josephus says. His merits seem to have been negative rather than positive.
require his blood ] Demand satisfaction for his murder. God is said to “require blood,” i.e. to avenge murder (Gen 9:5; Psa 9:12), and in punishing the murderers David acted as His representative.
take you away from the earth ] Rather, put you away out of the land. The word is one specially used of removing evil or the guilt of evil from the land (Deu 19:13; Deu 19:19, &c.). The guilt of murder defiled the land until expiated by the execution of the murderer (Num 35:33).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 11. How much more] Here are several things which aggravated the guilt of those wicked men.
1. Ish-bosheth was an innocent man, and therefore none could have any ground of quarrel against him.
2. He was in his own house, which was his sanctuary, and none but the worst of men would disturb him there.
3. He was upon his bed, resting in the heat of the day, and so free from suspicion that he was not even attended by his guards, nor had he his doors secured. To take away the life of such a man, in such circumstances, whom also they professed to hold as their sovereign, was the most abandoned treachery.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A righteous person; for so he was comparatively, and in respect of these men, having not deserved death at their hands.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person,…. As Ishbosheth was in comparison of the wicked men that slew him; though not with respect to David, if he knew of his divine designation to the throne; nor with respect to Mephibosheth his eldest brother’s son, whose right to the throne was prior to his, which he must know; though with respect to his conduct towards David, in assuming the throne of Israel, it might not be owing to any bad principles of malice and injustice, but to his ignorance of David’s having a right to the throne upon his father’s death, and by the advice of his friends he took it: the sin of these men in murdering him is aggravated, in that they slew him
in his own palace, upon his bed? in cold blood, and not in the field of battle, not being engaged in war with him; in his own palace, where he might justly think himself in safety; on his bed asleep, and so at an unawares, when insensible of danger, and not in a posture of defence; and now David argues from the lesser to the greater, that if the man that brought him the tidings of Saul’s death had no reward given him for bringing what he thought would be reckoned good tidings, then much less would any be given them who had actually slain their master, and that in such a base and barbarous way; and if the above person, who only was a bringer of tidings, was taken and slain, then how much more did they deserve to die, who had been guilty of such a cruel and barbarous murder?
shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hands, and take you away from the earth? avenge his blood on them, by putting them to death, out of the world, and from the land of the living, as men that deserved to live no longer on it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(11) A righteous personi.e., righteous, not at fault, so far as the matter in hand and his relation to the assassins is concerned.
Take you away from the earth.Rather, put you away out of the land. The word is one specially used of removing evil or the guilt of evil from the land (Deu. 19:13; Deu. 19:19, &c.). The guilt of murder defiled the land, until expiated by the execution of the murderer. (Num. 35:33.)Kirkpatrick.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. A righteous person Ishbosheth was guilty of no crime. It is doubtful if he would have assumed the regal power without the instance of Abner.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 4:11. How much more when wicked men It was a fine reflection which fell from Darius upon finding that Bessus was plotting against him: he told the traitor, that he was as well satisfied of Alexander’s justice, as he was of his courage; that they were mistaken who hoped he would reward treachery; that, on the contrary, no man was a more severe avenger of violated faith. It was upon this principle that Caesar put Pompey’s murderers to death, and the Romans sent back the Faliscian school-master under the lashes of his own scholars. There is no one villany which the human soul so naturally, so instinctively abhors, as treachery, because it is perhaps the only villany from which no man living is secure; and for this reason every man must take pleasure in the punishment of it. Thus ended the dominion of the house of Saul. Note; Sooner or later every enemy must fall before the Son of David, and his cause prove triumphant over all the powers of earth and hell.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Sa 4:11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Ver. 11. How much more, ] q.d., That Amalekite’s perdition should have been your caution; especially since you are far greater sinners against your own souls; for how bad soever Ishbosheth was, yet in comparison of you, he was righteous; and to you a good lord.
In his own house.
Require his blood of your hand.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
person. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
require = exact the penalty for.
earth = land.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
when wicked: 1Ki 2:32, Pro 25:26, Hab 1:4, Hab 1:12, 1Jo 3:12
require: 2Sa 3:27, 2Sa 3:39, Gen 9:5, Gen 9:6, Exo 21:12, Num 35:31-34, Psa 9:12
from: Gen 4:11, Gen 6:13, Gen 7:23, Exo 9:15, Psa 109:15, Pro 2:22, Jer 10:11
Reciprocal: Gen 20:4 – wilt Jos 2:19 – his blood Job 31:29 – General Lam 1:6 – all Eze 3:18 – but Eze 33:6 – his blood Hab 1:13 – the wicked 1Ti 6:10 – the love Heb 9:14 – How
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 4:11. How much more, &c. If he put the Amalekite to death for barely saying that he slew Saul, even at Sauls own command, and when his life was despaired of, how much more would he take signal vengeance on their united and aggravated treachery and murder? When wicked men have slain a righteous person For such Ish-bosheth was in respect of them. Saul might have some guilt in the Amalekites eye from his former destruction of the Amalekites; but Ish-bosheth could have none with regard to these his murderers, to whom he had done no wrong, but had preferred them to places of trust and honour. In respect of David, however, Ish- bosheth was not righteous, because he opposed him whom he knew God had appointed to the throne. In his own house, upon his bed This aggravated their crime, and made it very different from that of the Amalekite who slew Saul. Shall I not, therefore, require his blood at your hands? As persons unworthy to live. There is no one villany which the human mind so naturally, so instinctively abhors as treachery; because it is, perhaps, the only villany from which no man living is secure; and for this reason every man must take pleasure in the punishing it. This conduct of David toward these murderers of Ish-bosheth is well worth our attention; it is a proof of his integrity and piety, and of his detestation of treachery and cruelty. And we may learn from hence, that we ought not only to do no hurt to our enemies, but that we ought not even to rejoice at the hurt which may happen to them without our contributing any thing to it, nor to countenance injustice and vice in any degree, how great advantage soever we may reap from them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4:11 How {g} much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
(g) In that neither the example of him that slew Saul, nor duty to their master, nor the innocency of the person, nor reverence for the place, nor time moved them, they deserved most grievous punishment.