2 Samuel 4:6

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

4Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nanny picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. 5Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at Ish-bosheth’s house during the heat of the day while the king was taking his midday nap. They entered the interior of the house as if to get wheat and stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. 7They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. They removed his head, took it, and traveled by way of the Arabah all night. 8They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here’s the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

2 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 hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped,
• 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the city gate, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel, Joab’s brother.
• 2 Samuel 20:10Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, and Amasa died. Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba 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

• Assassination
• Baanah
• Homicide
• Ish-Bosheth
• Rechab
• Regicide
• Treachery

In the dictionaries

• Blood
• Ishbosheth
• Mahanaim
• Crime; Crimes
• Government
• Rechab; Rechabites
• Samuel, Books of
• Text of the Old Testament
• Baanah
• Rimmon

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