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 Living Translation (NLT)The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her.

Context of 2 Samuel 4:6

4Jonathan, 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. 5Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon. 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. 7For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain. 8And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.”

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 2:23However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.
• 2 Samuel 3:27Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
• 2 Samuel 20:10But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he 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

• 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