2 Samuel 4

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 12 verses.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=35-37}} Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSam{{sup|a}}; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 1–4, 9–12.{{sfn|Ulrich|2010|pp=293–296}}[https://thewaytoyahuweh.com/dead-sea-scrolls/general-info/#2_samuel Dead sea scrolls - 2 Samuel]{{sfn|Fitzmyer|2008|p=35}}[https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q51-1 4Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library]

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^A; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}{{efn|The whole book of 2 Samuel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.{{Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Codex Sinaiticus}}}}

{{Location map+

| Israel

| width=240

| float=right

| label= Ancient Israel

| caption= Places mentioned in this chapter

| places={{Location map~| Israel

|lat=32.557853 |long= 35.327953

|mark=Blue_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Jezreel

|label_size=100

|position=bottom

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.703056|long= 35.195556

|mark=Red_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Bethlehem

|label_size=100

|position=right

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.847451 |long= 35.183351

|mark=Blue_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Gibeon

|label_size=100

|position=left

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.832222 |long= 35.151944

|mark=Blue_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Beeroth

|label_size=100

|position=right

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=32.185639 |long= 35.686611

|mark=Red_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Mahanaim

|label_size=100

|position=top

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=30.416944 |long= 35.151389

|mark=Blue_pog.svg

|marksize=1

|label=Arabah

|label_size=100

|position=center

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.533333 |long= 35.095

|mark=blue_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Hebron

|label_size=100

|position=left

}}

}}

• Beeroth
• Gibeon
• Hebron
• Jezreel
• Ziklag

The narrative of David's reign in Hebron in 2 Samuel 1:1–5:5 has the following structure:{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=24}}

:A. Looking back to the final scenes of 1 Samuel (1:1)

::B. David receives Saul's crown (1:2–12)

:::C. David executes Saul's killer (1:13–16)

::::D. David's lament for Saul and Jonathan (1:17-27)

:::::E. Two kings in the land (2:1–3:6)

:::::E'. One king in the land: Abner switches sides (3:7–27)

::::D'. David's lament for Abner (3:28–39)

:::C'. David executes Ishbaal's killers (4:1–12)

::B'. David wears Saul's crown (5:1–3)

:A'. Looking forward to David's reign in Jerusalem (5:4–5)

David's narrative of his ascension to the throne in Hebron is framed by an opening verse that looks backward to the final chapters of 1 Samuel (Saul's death and David's refuge in Ziklag) and closing verses that look forward to David's rule in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5). The action begins when David received Saul's crown and concludes when he was finally able to wear that crown. David executes the Amalekite who claims to have assisted Saul with his suicide and those who murdered Ishbaal. Two laments were recorded: one for Saul and Jonathan and another shorter one for Abner. At the center are the two key episodes: the existence of two kings in the land (David and Ishbaal), because Joab's forces could not conquer Saul's territory on the battlefield. However, this was resolved when Ishbaal foolishly challenged Abner's loyalty, causing Abner to switch sides that eventually brought

Saul's kingdom under Davidic rule.{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=24}}

Abner was very powerful that he virtually ruled Israel (cf. 2:8-9; 3:6), so his death caused confusion and uncertainty to the whole kingdom including its king, leading a plot to assassinate Ish-bosheth by two army officers of Israel, Baanah and Rechab, whose lineage is detailed in verses 2–3 and came from Beeroth, which 'was considered to belong to Benjamin' (verse 2, cf. Joshua 18:25).{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=217}} The two assassins got into Ishbaal's house at

noon, when he was taking a siesta, on the pretext of "taking wheat" to be allowed to enter, quickly committed their gruesome task and ran away with Ish-bosheth's severed head (verse 7).{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=217}}

A short information was given in verse 4 about Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (or Meribaal, cf. 1 Chronicles 8:34; 9:40), which links to 2 Samuel 9:1–13, apparently to show that, beside Ish-bosheth, there was no more serious contender for the throne from the house of Saul; Mephibosheth himself was only a minor ('five years old') at that time and a cripple.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=217}}

: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 Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|4:2|KJV}} KJV

• "Beeroth": one of the four cities of the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:17), and was allotted to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:25). It is identified with the modern El-Bireh, nine miles north of Jerusalem. It is mentioned that Beeroth “was reckoned to Benjamin,” in the past tense, because in the time the Books of Samuel was written it was no longer inhabited.Ellicott, C. J. (Ed.) (1905). [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/2_samuel/4.htm Ellicott's Bible Commentary for English Readers. 2 Samuel 4.] London : Cassell and Company, Limited, [1905-1906] Online version: (OCoLC) 929526708. Accessed 28 April 2019.

:Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.{{bibleref2|2 Samuel|4:4|NKJV}} NKJV

• "Mephibosheth": written as "Merib-Baal" in 1 Chronicles 8:34; 9:40.Note on 2 Samuel 4:4 in NKJV

The two assassins brought Ish-bosheth's head straight to David, claiming to have avenged David on Saul, who was described as an 'enemy' for Saul had sought David's life (verse 8). David immediately distanced himself from their action, as he had consistently showed a great respect for a reigning monarch and did not wish to seize the throne, because being YHWH's elect, he was to advance naturally to be a king without having to stoop to violence. His attitude was made explicit in verses 9–11, recalling how he commanded to kill the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul, so he had to punish these assassins to death for they had 'killed a righteous man on his bed in his own house' (verse 11–12). Thus, the narratives demonstrate that David was totally innocent of the assassinations that brought him to the throne.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=217}}

:And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|4:12|KJV}} KJV

• "Ish-bosheth: 4QSam{{sup|a}} reads “Mephibosheth”.Note [b] on 2 Samuel 4:12 in NET Bible
• "Abner": the name is followed by the phrase "the son of Ner" in Greek Septuagint versions.Note [c] on 2 Samuel 4:12 in NET Bible
• “In Hebron": not included in some Greek Septuagint manuscripts Note [d] on 2 Samuel 4:12 in NET Bible

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Israel
• Jonathan
• Rimmon
• Tribe of Benjamin

}}

• Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 26, 2 Samuel 1, 1 Chronicles 8, 1 Chronicles 9

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last=Auld|first=Graeme|chapter=1 & 2 Samuel|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA213 |editor=James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson|title=Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837110}}
• {{cite book|last=Bergen|first=David T.|title=1, 2 Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eGT6fWsajqcC |publisher=B&H Publishing Group|year=1996|isbn=9780805401073}}
• {{cite book| last=Chapman |first= Stephen B. |title= 1 Samuel as Christian Scripture: A Theological Commentary |publisher= Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company |year= 2016 |isbn= 978-1467445160 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kS4XDAAAQBAJ }}
• {{cite book | last = Collins | first = John J. | title = Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures |chapter = Chapter 14: 1 Samuel 12 – 2 Samuel 25 | pages = 277–296 |publisher = Fortress Press|year = 2014 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fbsoBAAAQBAJ |isbn = 978-1451469233}}
• {{cite book| last=Evans |first= Paul |title= 1-2 Samuel | series = The Story of God Bible Commentary | editor-first= Tremper | editor-last= Longman |publisher= Zondervan Academic |year= 2018 |isbn= 978-0310490944 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Uy8-DwAAQBAJ }}
• {{cite book|last=Gordon|first=Robert|title=I & II Samuel, A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JMJ1ZAnswuUC&dq=I+%26+II+Samuel:+a+commentary+Gordon&pg=PA338|publisher=Paternoster Press |year=1986 |isbn=9780310230229}}
• {{cite book|last=Hertzberg|first=Hans Wilhelm|title=I & II Samuel, A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=friNN7IdjOIC&q=Saul+appointed+anointed+instituted&pg=PA19|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|year=1964|edition=trans. from German 2nd edition 1960|isbn=978-0664223182|page=19}}
• {{cite book|last=Morrison|first=Craig E.|title=Berit Olam: 2 Samuel|url= |publisher=Liturgical Press|year=2013|isbn=978-0814682913}}

{{Refend}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last=Breytenbach|first=Andries|title=Past, Present, Future: the Deuteronomistic History and the Prophets |publisher= Brill| year=2000|chapter=Who Is Behind The Samuel Narrative? |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uP22QHpnKq8C&pg=PA50|editor=Johannes Cornelis de Moor and H.F. Van Rooy|isbn=9789004118713}}
• {{cite book | last= Coogan| first = Michael David | author-link= Michael D. Coogan | title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 | editor-last1 = Coogan | editor-first1= Michael David | editor-first2 = Marc Zvi | editor-last2 = Brettler | editor-first3 = Carol Ann | editor-last3 = Newsom | editor-first4= Pheme | editor-last4 = Perkins | edition= Augmented 3rd | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2007 |isbn = 978-0195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}}
• {{cite book|last = Fitzmyer|first = Joseph A.|author-link= Joseph Fitzmyer |title = A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature|publisher = William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TILXeWJ2eNAC | year = 2008|isbn = 9780802862419|location = Grand Rapids, MI}}
• {{cite book | last= Halley | first= Henry H. | author-link= Henry Hampton Halley | title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)| publisher= Zondervan Publishing House | date= 1965 | url= https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr | url-access= registration| isbn= 0-310-25720-4}}
• {{cite book | last = Hayes | first = Christine | title = Introduction to the Bible |publisher = Yale University Press | year = 2015 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SKbkXYHxvlAC |isbn = 978-0300188271}}
• {{cite book|last= Jones | first= Gwilym H. | chapter = 12. 1 and 2 Samuel | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John | editor-last1 = Barton | editor1-link = John Barton (theologian) | editor-first2=John | editor-last2= Muddiman | editor2-link = John Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press | edition= first (paperback) | year = 2007 | pages = 196–232 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ | access-date=February 6, 2019}}
• {{cite book|last=Klein|first=R.W.|chapter=Samuel, books of|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C |editor=Bromiley, Geoffrey W|title=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837844}}
• {{cite book|last=Knight|first=Douglas A|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNLN1nEEys0C&q=630+BCE&pg=PA62|editor=James Luther Mays, David L. Petersen and Kent Harold Richards|chapter=Chapter 4 Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomists|title=Old Testament Interpretation|publisher=T&T Clark|year=1995|isbn=9780567292896 }}
• {{cite book | last= McKane | first= William | chapter= Samuel, Book of |editor1-last = Metzger | editor1-first = Bruce M |editor1-link = Bruce M. Metzger | editor2-last = Coogan | editor2-first = Michael D | title = The Oxford Companion to the Bible | url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195046458 | url-access= registration | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 1993 | pages= [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195046458/page/409 409]–413 | isbn = 978-0195046458 }}
• {{cite book | editor-last = Ulrich | editor-first = Eugene | title = The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants | year = 2010 | publisher = Brill | url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls }}
• {{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | author-link = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes | isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

{{Refend}}

• Jewish translations:
• [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15864/showrashi/true Samuel II - II Samuel - Chapter 4 (Judaica Press)]. Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=2+Samuel+4 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=10&chapter=4&version=9 2 Samuel chapter 4. Bible Gateway]

{{Second Book of Samuel}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuel 2 04}}

04

Category:Gibeon (ancient city)