And David commanded his young men, and they slew them,.... He ordered some of his guards about him to fall on them, and put them to death; and they accordingly did:and cut off their hands and their feet; their hands, which had smote Ishbosheth, and cut off his head; and their feet, which had been swift to shed his blood, and made haste to bring his head so many miles to David; this was what the Jews call measure for measure:and hanged [them] up over the pool in Hebron; not their hands and their feet, but the trunks of their bodies, thus mutilated; so Theodoret; though others think their hands and their feet were hung up, and not their bodies, because dead bodies were not to hang upon the tree more than a day; they were hung up over the fish pool in Hebron, because a public place, and where they were the more exposed to their shame, and the terror of others:but they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried [it] in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron; by order of David no doubt, who it seems had made, or ordered to be made, a sepulchre, for Abner, see 2Sa 3:38; all which David did to show his regard to the family of Saul, his abhorrence of such execrable murders, and to remove all suspicion of his being concerned in them, and to conciliate the minds of the Israelites to him.
Bible Commentary
2 Samuel 4:12
2 Samuel 4:12
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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2 Samuel 4 — Overview2 Samuel 4 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWhen Abner was slain David was at a loss for a friend to perfect the
reduction of those tribes that were yet in Ish-bosheth's interest.
Which way to adopt for the accomplishment of it he could not tell; but…2 Samuel 4 — Overview2 Samuel 4 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledge2 Samuel 4:1, The Israelites being troubled at the death of Abner, 2 Samuel 4:2, Baanah and Rechab slay Ish-bosheth, and bring his head to Hebron; 2 Samuel 4:9, David causes them to be slain, and Ish-bosheth’s head to…2 Samuel 4 — Overview2 Samuel 4 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter relates the concern the death of Abner gave to Ishbosheth, and the men of Israel, 2Sa 4:1; the murder of Ishbosheth by two of his captains, who cut off his head, and brought it to David, 2Sa 4:2; by whom…2 Samuel 4:1-122 Samuel 4:1-12 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION
2 Samuel 4:1
When Saul's son heard that Abner was dead. The news of Abner's death must have had a doubly depressing effect upon Ishbosheth; for he learned, not only that the mainstay of his kingdom was…2 Samuel 4:1-122 Samuel 4:1-12 · The Pulpit CommentaryIV. A GREAT MISFORTUNE OFTEN PROVES A GREAT BLESSING. If Mephibosheth had not been made lame by the accident of his childhood, he would have been tempted to aim at the crown, and might have rushed into ambitious and…2 Samuel 4:9-122 Samuel 4:9-12 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWe have here justice done upon the murderers of Ish-bosheth.
I. Sentence passed upon them. There needed no evidence, their own
tongues witnessed against them; they were so far from denying the fact
that they…