Amplified Bible
2 Samuel 4:6
6They came into the interior of the house as if to get wheat [for the soldiers], and they struck him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped [unnoticed].
2 Samuel 4:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
- New International Version (NIV)They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they came there, all the way into the house, as though to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
Context of 2 Samuel 4:6
4Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the news [of the deaths] of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. And the boy’s nurse picked him up and fled; but it happened that while she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. 5So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, left and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest. They came into the interior of the house as if to get wheat [for the soldiers], and they struck him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped [unnoticed]. 7Now when they entered the house he was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They [not only] struck and killed him, [but] they also beheaded him. Then they took his head and traveled all night by way of the Arabah. 8They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “Look, the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; thus the Lord has granted my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and on his descendants.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 42 Samuel 4:6 word by word
וְ֠הֵנָּה בָּ֜אוּ עַד־תּ֤וֹךְ הַבַּ֙יִת֙ לֹקְחֵ֣י חִטִּ֔ים וַיַּכֻּ֖הוּ אֶל־הַחֹ֑מֶשׁ וְרֵכָ֛ב וּבַעֲנָ֥ה אָחִ֖יו נִמְלָֽטוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they came thitherבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- they would have fetchedלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- wheatחִטָּהchiţţâh · wheatH2406
- and they smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- him under the fifthחֹ֫מֶשׁchômesh · bellyH2570
- and Rechabרֵכָבrêkâb · RechabH7394
- and Baanahבַּעֲנָהba‛ănâh · BaanahH1196
- his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- escapedמָלַטmâlaţ · to escapeH4422
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 4:6
- 2 Samuel 2:23But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner struck him in the abdomen with the butt end of his spear, and the spear came out his back; and he fell there and died on that spot. And it came about that everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still [and reflected].
- 2 Samuel 3:27So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate to speak to him privately, and there he struck Abner in the abdomen so that he died, to avenge the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.
- 2 Samuel 20:10But Amasa [who had replaced Joab as David’s commander] was off guard and not attentive to the sword in Joab’s hand. So Joab struck Amasa in the abdomen with the sword, spilling his intestines to the ground. Without another blow Amasa died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 4:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6As though they would have fetched wheat - The king's stores were probably near his own dwelling; and these men were accustomed to go thither for provisions for themselves, their cattle, and their men. This supposition which is natural, renders unnecessary all the emendations of Houbigant and others. As these men were accustomed to bring wheat from these stores, from which it appears there was an easy passage to the king's chamber, (especially if we…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6As though they would have fetched wheat - This is a very obscure passage, and the double repetition in 2 Samuel 4:6-7 of the murder of the king and of the escape of the assassin, is hard to account for. Rechab and Baanah came into the house under the pretence of getting grain, probably for the band which they commanded out of the king‘s storehouse, and so contrived to get access into the king‘s chamber; or, they found the wheat-carriers (the persons whose…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Recab and Baanah believed they would gain David’s favor by committing this betrayal.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. Rechab and Baanah went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, &c.--It is still a custom in the East to allow their soldiers a certain quantity of corn, together with some pay; and these two captains very naturally went to the palace the day before to fetch wheat, in order to distribute it to the soldiers, that it might be sent to the mill at the accustomed hour in the morning.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 4:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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