2 Samuel 4:1–12 The Killing of Ishbosheth

[Study Aired October 12, 2026]

Our study for today highlights the weakness of Saul’s house over time. The study also delves into the murder of Ishbosheth by his own two captains and brothers. These brothers thought that David would be pleased to see the head of Ishbosheth. However, David ordered the two brothers to be killed.

The House of Saul Grew Weaker

2Sa 4:1  And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.  

As indicated in earlier studies, Abner represents the leaders of the church system of this world and all the Israelites in verse 1 signify our brothers and sisters of the church system of this world or Babylon. Saul’s son Ishbosheth also represents the leadership of Babylon. The death of Abner making Ishbosheth’s hands feeble and all Israel being troubled implies that the leaders of Babylon are becoming worse off spiritually, making our brothers and sisters in Babylon troubled. This is because they see their leaders not reflecting the life of Christ which attests to their dying spiritual state. We were spiritually troubled at a certain stage of our walk with Christ, when we were in Babylon. In our desperation, we questioned our leaders about the scriptures, but the answers we received, attested to their spiritual bankruptcy.

Rev 3:1-3 I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.” (NIV)

We can also see from verse 1 that all the strength which Ishbosheth had was from the support of Abner. The death of Abner therefore brought about the awareness of the spiritual bankruptcy of Ishbosheth and the people of Israel. Ishbosheth and the people of Israel had all along relied on men instead of the Lord. It perfectly described the state of the church system of this world. They relied on men instead of the Lord. We were also depending on men in Babylon before the Lord came to deliver us. 

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 
Jer 17:6  For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Jer 17:7  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 
Jer 17:8  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

2Sa 4:2  And 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: 

The tribe of Benjamin represents the Lord’s elect as shown in the following verse:

Gen 43:34  Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

Joseph was like Christ who favored Benjamin (the Lord’s elect) by giving him five times more food than his brothers. The two leaders of Ishbosheth’s reign in Israel, Baanah and Rechab, who belong to the tribe of Benjamin, therefore represent the Lord’s elect, who are under the service of the leaders of the churches of this world or Babylon. It shows how we, His elect, must go through Babylon, before we become part of the church of the firstborn or the heavenly Jerusalem. The names of these two servants of Ishbosheth give us more insight into what Baanah and Rechab stand for. Baanah means ‘in affliction’ and Rechab denotes ‘horse rider.’ It is the Lord’s elect, who in this age, are in affliction because of the Lord’s judgment. A horse is a beast and the name Rechab meaning a horse rider implies that we are called as the Lord’s elect to ride or overcome our beast, which is our flesh. 

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

2Sa 4:3  And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 

Gittaim means ‘two winepresses.’ The fact that the Beerothites fled to Gittam suggests that we are to leave Babylon and suffer as Christ did, as we go through the Lord’s judgment, signified by the two winepresses. 

Heb 13:12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 

It is important to note that the two winepresses mean that as His elect, our judgement or suffering is what bears witness (significance of the number two) of our being called and chosen. 

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

This is Paul’s witness of the suffering marked out for the Lord’s elect, when he wrote to Timothy:

2Ti 3:10  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
2Ti 3:11  Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 
2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

It is also significant to note that the Beerothites were regarded as sojourners which is consistent with the life of an elect where we are called strangers of this world.

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 
Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 
Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 
Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. 

2Sa 4:4  And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. 

Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth being mentioned here signifies that he was a royal and therefore could have laid claim to the throne of Saul, but the fact that he became lame when he was five years old means that he could not become king of Israel. In the Bible, those who are lame are regarded as blemished. Such people cannot offer sacrifice to the Lord. In other words, they cannot offer their bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord, which we are called to do as the Lord’s elect.

Deu 15:21  And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.

Mal 1:8  And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

The negative aspect of the number five suggests famine of the word of the Lord. 

Gen 45:11  And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 

Mephibosheth becoming lame at the age of five therefore signifies that it was through the famine of the word of the Lord that we become blemished, such that we cannot offer our bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord. As a result, we shall suffer loss of our crown as kings when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. This is consistent with the name Mephibosheth, which means ‘from the mouth of shame.’ It is through the lies of the devil or false doctrines that we become lame and are disqualified from the prize. We are warned by the Lord, especially as we approach the end of this age, that many shall be deceived by false doctrines.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 
1Ti 4:3  Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 

The Killing of Ishbosheth

2Sa 4:5  And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. 
2Sa 4:6  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. 

Rechab and Baanah represent the Lord’s elect in Babylon on a positive note. In a negative context, they also signify the leaders in the church system of this world. To put someone to death spiritually means to cause a brother or sister to stumble in his or her walk with Christ. The two brothers putting Ishbosheth to death signifies that the leaders of the church system of this world, denoted by the two brothers, are causing our brothers and sisters to stumble. They do this through false doctrines or stumbling blocks of iniquity which rob us of the kingship.   

Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 
Mat 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 

2Sa 4:7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.

Beheading someone in the Bible has both a positive application and a negative one. Rechab and Baanah killing Ishbosheth by beheading him signifies putting out completely the resistance of the flesh to the will of the Lord in installing David as king of both Judah and Israel. For example, David beheading Goliath means destroying completely the resistance of the flesh against the Lord’s people.

1Sa 17:51  Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 

Another example is those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus. Such people are completely sold out to Christ such that our heart and mind are submissive to Him. 

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The beheading of Ishbosheth is a clear example of how the Lord uses both good and evil to accomplish His purpose. In this case, the killing of Ishbosheth paved the way for David to become king of both Judah and Israel, thus unifying the state of Israel.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

One of the obvious reasons behind the action of the two brothers, Rechab and Baanah, was the trust or confidence in Abner. The death of Abner made them realize that there was no hope for them in Israel. As indicated in verse 1, Ishbosheth’s hands became feeble when he heard that Abner had died. All of these show us how the church system of this world has its confidence in men and not in our Lord Jesus Christ. Babylon is built on confidence in man and not the Lord. During the formative years of our walk in Babylon, our confidence was in pastors and what they say, not the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Psa 146:3  Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 
Psa 146:4  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 
Psa 146:5  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: 

2Sa 4:8  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.  

As indicated, Rechab and Baanah came to realize that there was no future for them in Israel with the death of Abner, and therefore, they reasoned that they must leave Israel and go to Hebron, where David was. However, they did not want to go there as refugees, as they wanted David to recognize or reward them for the work they had done in beheading Ishbosheth. Leaving Babylon and coming to the church of the firstborn with a mindset of pleasing men to our advantage, will not help us with our walk with Christ. In the final analysis, our motives shall be exposed. We run to the church of the firstborn as refugees who need help to survive or overcome the relentless pursuit of our flesh. In this regard, we come to serve and not to lord over the Lord’s people. 

Mar 10:42  And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 
Mar 10:43  But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 
Mar 10:44  and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 
Mar 10:45  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (ESV)

2Sa 4:9  And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 
2Sa 4:10  When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings: 
2Sa 4:11  How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? 

As David indicated, Rechab and Baanah were looking for a reward from him after killing Ishbosheth. It is important to clarify the fact that David referred to Ishbosheth as a righteous person. It implies that David regarded Ishbosheth as morally upright. There are many brothers and sisters in Babylon who are morally upright, but this does not mean that they have the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed. In other words, they do not have the linen garment, or the righteousness which comes from Christ, which makes us ready to partake of the marriage feast in the fullness of time.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

David requiring the blood of Rechab and Baanah for killing Ishbosheth is to remind us that whatever we sow, we reap. If we sow to the flesh, we shall reap corruption.

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 
Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

2Sa 4:12  And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron. 

Executing Rechab and Baanah and hanging their bodies over the pool of Hebron is an act of public execution which serves as a warning to prevent future treason and betrayal. The spiritual significance of this is that we must pay heed to the fact that after tasting the good word of the Lord (pool of Hebron), we must realize that it is impossible to renew again to repentance, if we fall away.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 
Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 
Heb 6:10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 
Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 
Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Amen!!