41 Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son , heard that Abner had died in Hebron , he lost courage e , and all Israel was disturbed . 2 Saul's son had two men who were commanders of bands : the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab , sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin , 3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been aliens there until this day ). 4 Now Jonathan , Saul's son , had a son crippled in his feet . He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel , and his nurse took him up and fled . And it happened that in her hurry to flee , he fell and became lame . And his name was Mephibosheth . 5 So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , Rechab and Baanah , departed and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest . 6 They came to the middle of the house as if to get wheat , and they struck him in the belly ; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped . 7 Now when they came into the house , as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom e , they struck him and killed him and beheaded e him. And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 4:1-7
Commentary on 2 Samuel 4:1-7
(Read 2 Samuel 4:1-7)
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know not when and where death will meet us. When we lie down to sleep, we are not sure that we may not sleep the sleep of death before we awake; nor do we know from what hand the death-blow may come.