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

And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. 2And 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: 3And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

2 Samuel 4:1 word by word

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

• 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 17:2And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:
• Ezra 4:4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
• Nehemiah 6:9For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
• Isaiah 13:7Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
• Isaiah 35:3Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
• Jeremiah 6:24We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
• Jeremiah 50:43The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
• Zephaniah 3:16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
• Matthew 2:2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are 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