SCRIPTURE: 2 SAMUEL 4
ISH-BOSHETH MURDERED (vs. 1-12)
When Ish-Bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage and all Israel became alarmed. Jonathan had a son named Mephiboshet. When his nurse heard the news about Saul and Jonathan’s death, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried up to leave, he fell and became crippled.
Saul had two men named Baanah and Ricab who were from the tribe of Benjamin. They set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth. Upon arrival, they went inside and stabbed him in the stomach killing him. Then they cut off his head and took it to David thinking that David would reward him for avenging his enemy. But David was angry and gave order to his men to kill them. They cut off their hand and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. And they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.
THOUGHTS:
Baanah and Recab murdered their king Ish-Bosheth. They thought the act would please David and perhaps win them key positions in David’s kingdom. They did not know David’s heart that Saul was not his enemy. As a result of their stupidity, they were being killed. Likewise, there are many religious wars and church conflicts with the same intention of pleasing God without knowing that it has broken God’s heart and disgraced His name.
David did not approve the method used by Baanah and Recab for him to elevate to the throne. He knew that God would be the one to open the way for him to rule over the entire nation. We should always learn to wait for God’s time.
To show that he had nothing to do with the extermination of Saul’s royal line, David ordered the assassins killed and gave Ish-Boseth a proper burial. All tribes of Israel recognized David was a strong leader and pledged their loyalty to him.