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Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 17 / Ordinary 22
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

2 Samuel 4:1

When Saul's son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost his strength of heart. All Israel was troubled.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Baanah and Rechab;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ishbosheth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Baana;   Court Systems;   David;   Ish-Bosheth;   Jezreel;   Rechab;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Rechab, Rechabites;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ish-Bosheth;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he gave up, and all Israel was dismayed.
Hebrew Names Version
When [Ish-Boshet], Sha'ul's son, heard that Aviner was dead in Hevron, his hands became feeble, and all the Yisra'elites were troubled.
King James Version
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
Lexham English Bible
When the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his courage failed and all of Israel was horrified.
English Standard Version
When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.
New Century Version
When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died at Hebron, he was shocked and all Israel became frightened.
New English Translation
When Ish-bosheth the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he was very disheartened, and all Israel was afraid.
Amplified Bible
When Saul's son Ish-bosheth [king of Israel], heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was horrified.
New American Standard Bible
Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was horrified.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when Sauls sonne heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, then his handes were feeble, and all Israel was afraide,
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Ish-bosheth, Saul's son heard that Abner had died in Hebron. And he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed.
Contemporary English Version
Ishbosheth felt like giving up after he heard that Abner had died in Hebron. Everyone in Israel was terrified.
Complete Jewish Bible
When Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul heard that Avner had died in Hevron, his courage failed; and all Isra'el became alarmed.
Darby Translation
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were enfeebled, and all Israel was troubled.
Easy-to-Read Version
Saul's son Ish Bosheth heard that Abner had died at Hebron. Ish Bosheth and all his people became very afraid.
George Lamsa Translation
WHEN Ashbashul Sauls son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, he trembled, and all Israel was troubled.
Good News Translation
When Saul's son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed in Hebron, he was afraid, and all the people of Israel were alarmed.
Literal Translation
And the son of Saul heard that Abner was dead in Hebron. And his hands were feeble; and all those in Israel were terrified.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan Sauls sonne herde yt Abner was deed at Hebron, his hades were feble, & all Israell was sory.
American Standard Version
And when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
Bible in Basic English
And when Saul's son Ish-bosheth had news that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when Sauls sonne hearde that Abner was dead in Hebron, his handes were feeble, & al the Israelites were afrayde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were affrighted.
King James Version (1611)
And when Sauls sonne heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jebosthe the son of Saul heard that Abenner the son of Ner had died in Chebron; and his hands were paralyzed, and all the men of Israel grew faint.
English Revised Version
And when [Ish–bosheth], Saul’s son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
Berean Standard Bible
Now when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Isbosech, the sone of Saul, herde that Abner hadde falde doun in Ebron; and `hise hondis weren discoumfortid, and al Israel was disturblid.
Young's Literal Translation
And the son of Saul heareth that Abner [is] dead in Hebron, and his hands are feeble, and all Israel have been troubled.
Update Bible Version
And when Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
World English Bible
When [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
New King James Version
When Saul's son [fn] heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost heart, and all Israel was troubled.
New Living Translation
When Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard about Abner's death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.
New Revised Standard
When Saul's son Ishbaal heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands became feeble, - and, all Israel, were dismayed.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Isboseth the son of Saul heard that Abner was slain in Hebron: and his hands were weakened, and all Israel was troubled.
Revised Standard Version
When Ish-bo'sheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.
THE MESSAGE
Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth, heard that Abner had died in Hebron. His heart sank. The whole country was shaken.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was disturbed.

Contextual Overview

1 When Saul's son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost his strength of heart. All Israel was troubled. 2 Saul's son had two men who were captains of small armies. The name of one was Baanah, and the name of the other was Rechab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of Benjamin. (For Beeroth is thought of as part of Benjamin. 3 The people of Beeroth ran to Gittaim, and have been strangers there to this day.) 4 Now Saul's son Jonathan had a son who could not walk because of his feet. He was five years old when the news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse had picked him up and ran. In her hurry to get away, he fell and hurt his feet so he could not walk. His name was Mephibosheth. 5 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, left and came to the family of Ish-bosheth. It was during the heat of the day, while Ish-bosheth was taking his noon rest. 6 They came to the center of the house as if to get wheat, and they hit Ish-bosheth in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah ran away. 7 They had come into the house while he was lying on his bed in his room. And they had hit him and killed him and cut off his head. They took his head and traveled by the way of Arabah all night. 8 Then they brought Ish-bosheth's head to David at Hebron, and said to the king, "See, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, who hated you and tried to kill you. So this day the Lord has punished Saul and his children for the king."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

his hands: 2 Samuel 17:2, Ezra 4:4, Nehemiah 6:9, Isaiah 13:7, Isaiah 35:3, Jeremiah 6:24, Jeremiah 50:43, Zephaniah 3:16

and all: Matthew 2:2, Matthew 2:3

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 30:31 - Hebron

Cross-References

Genesis 3:15
And I will make you and the woman hate each other, and your seed and her seed will hate each other. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel."
Genesis 4:25
And Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and gave him the name Seth. For she said, "God has let me have another son in the place of Abel, for Cain killed him."
Genesis 5:29
He gave him the name Noah. He said, "This one will give us rest from our work, from the hard work of our hands because the ground was cursed by the Lord."
Numbers 31:17
Now kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has had a man.
1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain. He was a child of the devil and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? It was because he did what was sinful and his brother did what was right.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron,.... By Saul's son is meant Ishbosheth, to whom tidings were soon brought of the death of Abner his general, and that he died in Hebron, where David his rival reigned, and was there murdered by Joab the general of his army:

his hands were feeble: not only in a natural sense, being quite dispirited at hearing such news; but in a civil sense, having lost his main support and strength, he being president of his council, and commander of his forces, and in whom he placed all his confidence: and if he knew nothing of his being at Hebron, it must surprise him to hear of his dying there; from whence he might conclude, that since he was there without his knowledge, it could not be in his favour, some plot was forming, and schemes laying with his rival to dethrone him; or if he knew of it, and understood it in this light, that he was endeavouring to make peace between him and David, and upon advantageous terms to him, of which now he might entertain no hopes; he was dispirited, and might conclude that Joab was against any terms at peace, and therefore had dispatched him:

and all the Israelites were troubled; at the loss of so great a man in their kingdom, and of whose designs to unite them to Judah, and put them under the government David, they were not ignorant; but now were in the utmost confusion, not knowing what step to take, and whom to send to carry on the treaty, in which Abner was concerned; and whether it would be safe for any to go upon it, since he who had the management of it was murdered, and no justice done on the murderer, and therefore might question David's sincerity and uprightness in this affair; these things greatly distressed and embarrassed them for the present, but Providence opened a way for their future establishment and prosperity.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER IV

Some account of Rechab and Baanah, two of Ish-bosheth's

captains, and of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, 1-4.

Rechab and Baanah murder Ish-bosheth, and escape; and bring

his head to David, 5-8.

David is greatly irritated, and commands them to be slain,

9-12.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV

Verse 2 Samuel 4:1. All 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.


 
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