The Assassination of Ish-bosheth

41 And the son of Saul heareth that Abner 'is' dead in Hebron, and his hands are feeble, and all Israel have been troubled. 2 And two men, heads of troops, have been 'to' the son of Saul, the name of the one 'is' Baanah, and the name of the second Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin, for also Beeroth is reckoned to Benjamin, 3 and the Beerothites flee to Gittaim, and are there sojourners unto this day. 4 And to Jonathan son of Saul 'is' a son—lame; he was a son of five years at the coming in of the rumour of 'the death of' Saul and Jonathan, out of Jezreel, and his nurse lifteth him up, and fleeth, and it cometh to pass in her hasting to flee, that he falleth, and becometh lame, and his name 'is' Mephibosheth. 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, go, and come in at the heat of the day unto the house of Ish-Bosheth, and he is lying down—the lying down of noon; 6 and thither they have come, unto the midst of the house, taking wheat, and they smite him unto the fifth 'rib', and Rechab and Baanah his brother have escaped; 7 yea, they come in to the house, and he is lying on his bed, in the inner part of his bed-chamber, and they smite him, and put him to death, and turn aside his head, and they take his head, and go the way of the plain all the 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.