2 Samuel 4 8

2 Samuel 4:8 kjv

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

2 Samuel 4:8 nkjv

And 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 4:8 niv

They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the LORD has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring."

2 Samuel 4:8 esv

and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The LORD has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring."

2 Samuel 4:8 nlt

When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth's head to David. "Look!" they exclaimed to the king. "Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the LORD has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!"

2 Samuel 4 verses

2 Samuel 4 8 Meaning

This verse details the gruesome presentation of Ish-bosheth's severed head by Rechab and Baanah to David at Hebron. They explicitly state their belief that this act is God's vengeance delivered to King David, targeting Saul and his lineage for seeking David's life. Essentially, they commit a treacherous murder and then attempt to legitimize it before David by attributing it to divine will and presenting Ish-bosheth as David's direct personal enemy.

2 Samuel 4 8 Context

(as paragraph)2 Samuel 4:8 is situated amidst the tumultuous period following the death of King Saul and the subsequent civil war between the house of Saul (under Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, ruling over Israel) and the house of David (ruling over Judah). Ish-bosheth’s fragile kingship was largely propped up by his powerful commander, Abner. After Abner's assassination by Joab (David’s commander) in the previous chapter (2 Sam 3), Ish-bosheth's last remaining source of strength and authority was gone, plunging Israel into disarray and weakening Ish-bosheth significantly (2 Sam 4:1). Two of Ish-bosheth's own captains, Rechab and Baanah, capitalize on this instability. This verse records their treacherous act of murdering Ish-bosheth while he was vulnerable and sleeping, and then bringing his head to David, expecting a reward for ending the dynastic rivalry. Culturally, bringing a severed head was a way to prove a death or a victory, but the treachery involved here makes it an abominable act.

2 Samuel 4 8 Word analysis

(as ul)

• וַיָּבִיאוּ (vayyaví'u): "And they brought." The Hebrew verb בוא (bo') means "to come" or "to bring." The prefix וַי (vav-consecutive) indicates a sequential action, emphasizing the deliberate movement of Rechab and Baanah towards David, carrying their gruesome trophy. It highlights their active participation in the presentation.
• אֶת־רֹאשׁ (et-rosh): "the head of." רֹאשׁ (rosh) signifies the "head," the seat of identity and often authority. Its literal presentation as a detached object signifies the utter destruction and humiliation of the victim, making the claim of death undeniable. This gruesome display was a common, though barbaric, act in ancient warfare to confirm a killing.
• אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙ (Ish-bosheth): "Ish-bosheth." This name means "man of shame" or "man of humiliation." It is likely a derogatory scribal alteration of his original name, Ish-Baal ("man of Baal," 1 Chr 8:33; 9:39), which was changed to avoid the pagan deity Baal. He was Saul’s son and a weak, nominal king, caught in the conflict between the two houses. His very name later symbolized the end of Saul's line in shame.
• אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד (el-David): "to David." Indicates the direct target of their action and address. They presented it to David, specifically to him as the recipient of this supposed "gift."
• חֶבְר֗וֹנָה (Hebronah): "to Hebron." This specifies the location, David's capital in Judah. The journey from Mahanaim (where Ish-bosheth reigned) to Hebron underscores their dedication to reaching David and highlights the geographic separation of the two realms. Hebron's significance as a tribal center and David's anointing place amplifies the gravity of their act being brought there.
• וַיֹּאמְרוּ (vayyom'ru): "and they said." Signifies the vocal declaration that accompanied their act, conveying their message and intentions explicitly to David.
• אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (el-ha'melekh): "to the king." A formal address, recognizing David's royal authority. This shows they expect David to accept their "service" as loyalty, reflecting their perceived understanding of kingship where violence against rivals could be rewarded.
• הִנֵּה־רֹ֨אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת֙ (hineh-rosh Ish-bosheth): "Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth." The interjection הִנֵּה (hinneh, "behold! look!") serves to dramatically present the grisly proof, demanding David’s immediate attention to the shocking evidence.
• בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל (ben-Shaul): "son of Saul." This identifies Ish-bosheth not just by name but by his lineage, linking him directly to David’s adversary, Saul, whose persecution of David was well-known. This was an attempt to justify their actions based on family legacy.
• אֹיִבְךָ֖ (oyivekha): "your enemy." A critical assertion by the assassins. They framed Ish-bosheth as David’s personal foe, despite Ish-bosheth primarily being a symbolic figurehead who posed little direct threat after Abner's death. This statement attempts to cast their betrayal as an act of service.
• אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּקֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ (asher biqesh et-nafshēkhā): "who sought your life." Literally, "who sought your soul/being." This claim is specifically true of Saul, who actively hunted David (1 Sam 19-24), not genuinely of Ish-bosheth. This is a deliberate manipulation, conflating Ish-bosheth with his father to lend weight to their false claim of vengeance for David.
• וַיִּתֵּ֨ן (vayyitten): "and has given." From the verb נתן (nathan, "to give" or "to put"). They claim God "gave" this vengeance, attributing their criminal act directly to divine initiative and enablement.
• יְהוָ֥ה (Yahweh): "the LORD." The divine covenant name of God. Invoking Yahweh’s name was a solemn act, used here by the assassins to sanctify their murderous deed and present it as divinely sanctioned justice. This demonstrates a deep spiritual misunderstanding or cynical exploitation.
• לַֽאדֹנִ֛י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ladoni ha'melekh): "to my lord the king." A respectful, subservient address, continuing their facade of loyal servants expecting recognition from their sovereign.
• נְקָמָ֛ה (neqamah): "vengeance / retribution." This noun signifies the act of taking revenge. Their primary justification for the murder: they view it as executing God’s judgment, expecting David to validate this.
• הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה (hayyom hazzeh): "this very day." Emphasizes the immediacy and freshness of the purported divine act, enhancing its impact.
• מִשָּׁא֥וּל וּמִזַּרְעֽוֹ (miSha'ul u'mizar'o): "from Saul and his offspring/seed." Extends the scope of their alleged "vengeance" beyond Ish-bosheth to encompass the entire lineage of Saul, reinforcing the idea of a complete eradication of David's rival dynasty, purportedly at God's hand.

(as ul)

• "Brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron": This phrase encapsulates the central, physical action. It is a bold, public presentation meant to leave no doubt as to the deed done and the intended recipient's validation. The physical gruesome object makes it undeniable, aiming for a potent emotional and political impact on David.
• "said to the king, 'Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life.'": This is their dramatic self-justification and appeal to David. They correctly identify Ish-bosheth's identity and lineage but deliberately mischaracterize him as David's active pursuer, merging his persona with his father, Saul. This attempt to link Ish-bosheth to David's personal persecution by Saul shows their manipulation of facts to portray the assassination as a heroic act benefiting David.
• "The LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his offspring": This statement contains their theological justification. By invoking "the LORD" and "vengeance," they try to spiritualize their base murder, aligning it with God's divine purpose to eliminate Saul's dynasty and fully establish David. This shows a twisted theology that presumes God sanctions their betrayal and innocent bloodshed for their personal gain and David's perceived benefit. It directly challenges the understanding of God's justice and David's established character of refusing to harm God's anointed.

2 Samuel 4 8 Bonus section

(as ul)

• Polemic against human ambition: The assassins' actions implicitly demonstrate a severe misunderstanding or deliberate misuse of the concept of "holy war" or divine justice. They assume God's purposes can be achieved through wicked means for personal gain, a perspective contrary to biblical principles of righteousness and pure hands (e.g., Psalm 24:4).
• Significance of "bosheth": The consistent use of "Ish-bosheth" (man of shame) throughout 2 Samuel, rather than "Eshbaal" (man of Baal), emphasizes the inglorious end of his life and the overall shamed, ineffective nature of his rule and the final demise of the house of Saul as a significant power, setting the stage for David’s unchallenged kingship.
• Prophetic Fulfillment (Indirect): While the assassins act on their own wickedness, their act ironically contributes to the broader fulfillment of God's promise to David (2 Sam 3:18) that he would deliver Israel. However, David strongly rejects the sinful means, showing God brings about His purposes not by endorsing human sin, but by patiently working through or despite it.

2 Samuel 4 8 Commentary

(as paragraph)2 Samuel 4:8 lays bare the dark motivations of Rechab and Baanah, who commit regicide against their vulnerable king, Ish-bosheth, expecting reward from David. Their declared justification is a cunning distortion of truth: they present the murder as divinely ordained "vengeance" for David against "Saul and his offspring." While Saul had indeed sought David's life, Ish-bosheth himself was largely passive and never personally pursued David with such malice. The assassins manipulate religious language, using the sacred name "Yahweh" and the concept of "vengeance" to legitimize their heinous act of treachery and secure favor. However, David’s character, marked by a steadfast refusal to lift a hand against the Lord's anointed and his commitment to true justice (as evidenced in 2 Sam 1:1-16 concerning the Amalekite who claimed Saul’s life), immediately exposes their twisted reasoning. This verse thus starkly contrasts human treachery cloaked in piety with genuine faith that waits on God's timing and respects legitimate authority. It underscores the profound difference between personal revenge and God's sovereign justice.