Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 4:7
For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and got them away through the plain all night.
7. through the plain ] By the way of the Arabah. See note on ch. 2Sa 2:29. From Mahanaim to Hebron was a distance of about 80 or 90 miles.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Through the plain, i.e. in the way from Mahanaim to Hebron; which for the most part was a plain country.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. when they came into the house, helay on his bedRechab and Baanah came in the heat of the day,when they knew that Ish-bosheth, their master, would be resting onhis divan; and as it was necessary, for the reason just given, tohave the corn the day before it was needed, their coming at thattime, though it might be a little earlier than usual, created nosuspicion, and attracted no notice [HARMER].
gat them away through theplainthat is, the valley of the Jordan, through which theirway lay from Mahanaim to Hebron.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber,…. This is repeated to give a more particular account of the murder; though Abarbinel thinks they went in twice; when they went in first they smote him under the fifth rib, and made their escape; but fearing they had not left him dead, they returned, and did as follows:
and they smote him, and slew him; so that it was out of all doubt with them that he was dead:
and beheaded him; to make sure work of it:
and took his head; along with them, perhaps in one of the sacks they had to fetch wheat in, and so passed undiscovered, to carry to David, to curry favour with him:
and gat them away through the plain all night; through the plain of Jordan; all the way from Mahanaim to Hebron being for the most part a plain country till they came to Hebron, which was mountainous; the way from Mahanaim to Hebron was a space of sixty eight miles, according to Bunting z.
z Travels, p. 145, 148.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Punishment of the murderers by David. – 2Sa 4:7. As the thread of the narrative was broken by the explanatory remarks in 2Sa 4:6, it is resumed here by the repetition of the words : “They came into the house, as he lay upon his bed in his bed-chamber, and smote him, and slew him,” for the purpose of attaching the account of the further progress of the affair, viz., that they cut off his head, took it and went by the way of the Arabah (the valley of the Jordan: see 2Sa 2:29) the whole night, and brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron with these words: “Behold (= there thou hast) the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul thine enemy, who sought thy life; and thus hath Jehovah avenged my lord the king this day upon Saul and his seed.” No motive is assigned for this action. But there can be little doubt that it was no other than the hope of obtaining a great reward from David. Thus they presumed “to spread the name of God and His providence as a cloak and covering over their villany, as the wicked are accustomed to do” ( Berleb. Bible).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(7) Took his head.There is no difficulty with the repetition in 2Sa. 4:7 of what has been already mentioned inverse 6, for it is common in the Scripture narratives to repeat statements when any additional fact (as here, the carrying off of the head) is to be mentioned. (See, e.g., 2Sa. 3:22-23, where Joabs arrival is twice mentioned, and 2Sa. 5:1-3, where the mention of the assembly at Hebron is repeated.)
Through the plain.As in 2Sa. 2:29, the Arabah, or valley of the Jordan, the natural way from Mahanaim to Hebron.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Took his head They probably carried it in a sack, in which they pretended to fetch wheat. They could not otherwise have well escaped at midday.
Through the plain The Jordan valley. See on 2Sa 2:29.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 4:7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
Ver. 7. He lay on his bed. ] Dreading no danger. So great need have we to commit ourselves to God, when we go to our rest, that whether we live or die, we may be his.
They smote him, and slew him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
bed. Compare 2Sa 3:31.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
took his head: 1Sa 17:54, 1Sa 31:9, 2Ki 10:6, 2Ki 10:7, Mat 14:11, Mar 6:28, Mar 6:29, When those difficulties dispirit us which should rather invigorate us and sharpen our endeavours, we betray a carelessness of character which is soon taken advantage of by our more watchful neighbours. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer.
Reciprocal: 1Sa 20:16 – Let the Lord 2Sa 11:2 – arose from
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 4:7-8. They smote him, and slew him, &c. The privacy of the place gave them opportunity to do all this, without discovery. And gat them away through the plain, from Mahanaim to Hebron It being for the most part a flat country, till they came to ascend the mountain, on the side of which Hebron stood. Hath avenged the king of Saul and of his seed For they were all now extinguished except his grandson Mephibosheth, who was of no account because of his lameness.