2 Samuel 4:1

2 Samuel 4:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
• New International Version (NIV)When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When Saul’s son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost heart, and all Israel was troubled.

Context of 2 Samuel 4:1

When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard about Abner’s death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear. 2Now there were two brothers, Baanah and Recab, who were captains of Ishbosheth’s raiding parties. They were sons of Rimmon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Beeroth. The town of Beeroth is now part of Benjamin’s territory 3because the original people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.

2 Samuel 4:1 word by word

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע בֶּן־שָׁא֗וּל כִּ֣י מֵ֤ת אַבְנֵר֙ בְּחֶבְר֔וֹן וַיִּרְפּ֖וּ יָדָ֑יו וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נִבְהָֽלוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Saul’sשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• that Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
• was deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• in Hebronחֶבְרוֹןchebrôn · HebronH2275
• his handsיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
• were feebleרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
• and all the Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• were troubledבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 4:1

• 2 Samuel 17:2I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king,
• Ezra 4:4Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work.
• Nehemiah 6:9They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.
• Isaiah 13:7Every arm is paralyzed with fear. Every heart melts,
• Isaiah 35:3With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees.
• Jeremiah 6:24We have heard reports about the enemy, and we wring our hands in fright. Pangs of anguish have gripped us, like those of a woman in labor.
• Jeremiah 50:43The king of Babylon has heard reports about the enemy, and he is weak with fright. Pangs of anguish have gripped him, like those of a woman in labor.
• Zephaniah 3:16On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
• Matthew 2:2“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 4:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1All the Israelites were troubled - Abner was their great support; and on him they depended; for it appears that Ish-bosheth was a feeble prince, and had few of those qualities requisite for a sovereign.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Ishbosheth murdered. (1-7) David puts to death the murderers. (8-12) Verses 1-7 See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know not when and where death will meet us. When we lie down to sleep, we are not sure that we may not sleep…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1all Israel was dismayed: Abner’s true power was evident in Ish-bosheth’s reaction to his death (compare Joshua 2:9–11; 5:1). Ish-bosheth’s lack of courage caused the same weakness among those who followed him.Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Abner
• Hebron
• Hebron, Kiriath Arba
• Blood
• Ishbosheth
• Government
• Ish-Bosheth
• Samuel, Books of
• Text of the Old Testament

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