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2 Samuel 4:12

in 2 Samuel 4

So David commanded his young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

KJV

And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish–bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 4

Commentary

9 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Against the Pelagians 1.33 · Written before 420.

Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, is killed through a ruse at the hands of Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon, the Beerothite. And, when they announced the news to David and showed him the head of his enemy, they were killed by David, who said, "Wicked men have slain a just man in his own house upon his bed." Ish-bosheth was certainly not a just man, and yet he is called a just man because he was innocently killed.

This site's exposition

who hath redeemed my soul

on 2 Samuel 4:9-12

David answers by naming the earlier case himself: the man who told him Saul was dead expecting a reward was taken and killed at Ziklag, 1:14-16, for laying hands on the Lord's anointed. Ish-bosheth carried no such anointing, yet David judges the count that does apply, a righteous man killed in his own house on his bed, and rules the same way a second time within one book. He hands the sentence to his own young men rather than to Joab, and the killers' hands and feet are cut off and hung over the pool at Hebron while Ish-bosheth's head is buried in Abner's own grave, the general whose death opened this chapter.

This site's exposition

hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the hands and feet as the instruments of the crime. Albert Barnes notes that they were cut off after death and hung where all could see. The sight cleared David before Israel.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

2 And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin: 3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture

And David commanded his young men, and they slew them,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

However men may canonize such methods of serving the church and the catholic cause, Christ will let them know, another day, that Christianity was not intended to destroy humanity; and those who thus think to merit heaven shall not escape the damnation of hell.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

And they slew them - None ever more richly deserved death; and by this act of justice, David showed to all Israel that he was a decided enemy to the destruction of Saul’s family; and that none could lift up their hands against any of them without meeting with condign punishment. In all these cases I know not that it was possible for David to show more sincerity, or a stricter regard for justice.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet--as the instruments in perpetrating their crime. The exposure of the mutilated remains was intended as not only a punishment of their crime, but also the attestation of David's abhorrence.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Cut off their hands ... - After they were dead. Their hands and feet were hung up in a place of public resort, both to deter others and also to let all Israel know that David was not privy to the murder of Ish-bosheth.

The words behind it

23 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיְצַו֩and he commanded

    vaytzavH6680 →494 times

  • דָּוִ֨דDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַנְּעָרִ֜יםthe young men

    hanearimH5288 →239 times

  • וַיַּהַרְג֗וּםand they killed them

    vaiyahargumH2026 →167 times

  • וַֽיְקַצְּצ֤וּand they cut off

    vaykatzetzuH7112 →

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • יְדֵיהֶם֙hands their

    yedeihemH3027 →1618 times

  • וְאֶת־and <obj.>

    veetH853 →10935 times

  • רַגְלֵיהֶ֔םfeet their

    ragleihemH7272 →247 times

  • וַיִּתְל֥וּand they hanged [them]

    vaiyitluH8518 →

  • עַל־at

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַבְּרֵכָ֖הthe pool

    haberekhahH1295 →17 times

  • בְּחֶבְר֑וֹןin Hebron

    bechevronH2275 →72 times

  • וְאֵ֨תand <obj.>

    veetH853 →10935 times

  • רֹ֤אשׁ[the] head of

    roshH7218 →599 times

  • אִֽישׁ־Ish-

    ʾish-H378 →22 times

  • בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙bosheth

    boshetH378 →22 times

  • לָקָ֔חוּthey took

    lakachuH3947 →966 times

  • וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּand they buried [it]

    vaiyikberuH6912 →133 times

  • בְקֶֽבֶר־in [the] tomb of

    vekever-H6913 →67 times

  • אַבְנֵ֖רAbner

    ʾavnerH74 →63 times

  • בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ פat Hebron

    bechevronH2275 →72 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Samuel 3:32When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.4 works2 Samuel 1:15Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.4 worksMatthew 7:2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.2 worksPsalms 55:23But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.2 works2 Samuel 21:9And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.2 worksDeuteronomy 21:22–23If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree,2 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Chronicles 8:33Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.2 works1 Kings 2:25So King Solomon sent the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who struck down Adonijah, and he died.2 works2 Samuel 21:14And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in Zela in the land of Benjamin, in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. After they had done everything the king had commanded, God answered their prayers for the land.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 7:2

    For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

    it leads to

    • James 2:13

      For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

    • Mark 4:24

      He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.

    • Obadiah 1:15

      For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.

    • Luke 6:38

      Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured…

    • Revelation 18:6

      Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.

  • Through

    Psalms 55:23

    But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 10:27

      The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be cut short.

    • Psalms 5:6

      You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

    • Job 15:32

      It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

About 2 Samuel

David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 4 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Against the Pelagians 1.33; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 4 →