2 Samuel 4:1-8 – Don’t be a turncoat

Abner was the reason why Israel could stay together for so long. He was the power behind the throne. Once the news of his death and burial at Hebron reached Ish-bosheth, all the courage he once had left him. Verse 1 also says that even all of Israel was in dismay. Abner’s burial in Hebron was a smart move by David. It was a signal to the people that Abner had already deflected and was assimilated into Judah. Meanwhile, Ish-bosheth had two key persons in the company. They were the captains of his raiding band. Their names were Baanah and Rechab and they were the sons of Rimmon, a Benjamite from Beeroth. These were all from the same tribe as Saul and should have remained loyal to Ish-bosheth but apparently, they were not.

In verse 4 we are introduced to one other surviving member of Saul’s clan. His name was Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan. This verse describes how he was crippled. When news of the death of Saul and Jonathan reached Israel, the nurse sought to carry him to a place of safety. While fleeing, she accidentally dropped him and caused him to sustain his condition. He became crippled since then. Later in 2 Samuel 9, we will see how David treated Mephibosheth to honor the pledge he had made to Jonathan, his father.

Meanwhile in verses 5-8, we return to the two disloyal captains of Ish-bosheth’s raiding band. They came to Ish-bosheth’s house with the pretext to get some wheat while the latter was resting in his bedroom. There they stabbed him in the stomach, put him to death, and cut off his head. Taking the head, they escaped and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron. Their one motive was clear. Wanting to join David, they reckoned they should be able to have David’s approval with what they had brought to him. So they came before David and said, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” They had committed treason and had failed to realize that their acts were duplicitous and downright disloyal. If they sought David’s approval, they had made the wrong move. No one, especially this new king would trust such disloyalty.  

Could Rachab and Baanah deflect to David without killing Ish-bosheth? Certainly! Perhaps it would be more acceptable to David. But these chose to profit themselves at the expense of Ish-bosheth’s life. They had proven their utter disloyalty. How could David trust people like these? Betrayal hurts deeper than physical wounds because it cuts deeper into one’s heart. One sad fact about betrayal is this: it often comes from people you trust and consider your friends and seldom from your enemy. It is needful to surround ourselves with trustworthy friends. Remember Proverbs 27:6 that says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”  It is more important that each one of us be a true and trustworthy friend. We will bring more honor to God. So, be trustworthy!