4:1 And when Saul's a son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron,
his hands were b feeble, and all the Israelites were
troubled.
(a) That is, Ishbosheth.
(b) Meaning, that he was discouraged.
4:2 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 c Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:
(c) This city Beeroth was in the tribe of Benjamin,
(Jos 18:25).
4:3 And the Beerothites fled to d Gittaim, and were sojourners
there until this day.)
(d) After the death of Saul, for fear of the Philistines.
4:6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, [as
though] they e would have fetched wheat; and they f
smote him under the fifth [rib]: and Rechab and Baanah his
brother escaped.
(e) They disguised themselves as merchants, who came to buy
wheat.
(f) There is nothing so vile and dangerous, which the wicked
will not undertake in hope of money and favour.
4:11 How g much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous
person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore
now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from
the earth?
(g) In that neither the example of him that slew Saul, nor
duty to their master, nor the innocency of the person,
nor reverence for the place, nor time moved them, they
deserved most grievous punishment.
