Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

How much more - Here are several things which aggravated the guilt of those wicked men.

1. Ish-bosheth was an innocent man, and therefore none could have any ground of quarrel against him.

He was in his own house, which was his sanctuary, and none but the worst of men would disturb him there.

3. He was upon his bed, resting in the heat of the day, and so free from suspicion that he was not even attended by his guards, nor had he his doors secured. To take away the life of such a man, in such circumstances, whom also they professed to hold as their sovereign, was the most abandoned treachery.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person,.... As Ishbosheth was in comparison of the wicked men that slew him; though not with respect to David, if he knew of his divine designation to the throne; nor with respect to Mephibosheth his eldest brother's son, whose right to the throne was prior to his, which he must know; though with respect to his conduct towards David, in assuming the throne of Israel, it might not be owing to any bad principles of malice and injustice, but to his ignorance of David's having a right to the throne upon his father's death, and by the advice of his friends he took it: the sin of these men in murdering him is aggravated, in that they slew him

in his own palace, upon his bed? in cold blood, and not in the field of battle, not being engaged in war with him; in his own palace, where he might justly think himself in safety; on his bed asleep, and so at an unawares, when insensible of danger, and not in a posture of defence; and now David argues from the lesser to the greater, that if the man that brought him the tidings of Saul's death had no reward given him for bringing what he thought would be reckoned good tidings, then much less would any be given them who had actually slain their master, and that in such a base and barbarous way; and if the above person, who only was a bringer of tidings, was taken and slain, then how much more did they deserve to die, who had been guilty of such a cruel and barbarous murder?

shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hands, and take you away from the earth? avenge his blood on them, by putting them to death, out of the world, and from the land of the living, as men that deserved to live no longer on it.

Geneva Study Bible

How ^g 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?

(g) In that neither the example of him that slew Saul, nor duty to their master, nor the innocency of the person, nor reverence for the place, nor time moved them, they deserved most grievous punishment.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 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?

Ver. 11. How much more,] q.d., That Amalekite’s perdition should have been your caution; especially since you are far greater sinners against your own souls; for how bad soever Ishbosheth was, yet in comparison of you, he was righteous; and to you a good lord.

In his own house.] Which is a man’s castle, tutissimum cuique Refugium atque Receptaculum, saith the civil law.

Require his blood of your hand.] Which, because it is not in your power to repair and restore, should I not execute you?

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

2 Samuel 4:11. How much more when wicked men— It was a fine reflection which fell from Darius upon finding that Bessus was plotting against him: he told the traitor, that he was as well satisfied of Alexander's justice, as he was of his courage; that they were mistaken who hoped he would reward treachery; that, on the contrary, no man was a more severe avenger of violated faith. It was upon this principle that Caesar put Pompey's murderers to death, and the Romans sent back the Faliscian school-master under the lashes of his own scholars. There is no one villany which the human soul so naturally, so instinctively abhors, as treachery, because it is perhaps the only villany from which no man living is secure; and for this reason every man must take pleasure in the punishment of it. Thus ended the dominion of the house of Saul. Note; Sooner or later every enemy must fall before the Son of David, and his cause prove triumphant over all the powers of earth and hell.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

A righteous person; for so he was comparatively, and in respect of these men, having not deserved death at their hands.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11.A righteous person — Ishbosheth was guilty of no crime. It is doubtful if he would have assumed the regal power without the instance of Abner.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

2 Samuel 4:11. How much more, &c. — If he put the Amalekite to death for barely saying that he slew Saul, even at Saul’s own command, and when his life was despaired of, how much more would he take signal vengeance on their united and aggravated treachery and murder? When wicked men have slain a righteous person — For such Ish-bosheth was in respect of them. Saul might have some guilt in the Amalekite’s eye from his former destruction of the Amalekites; but Ish-bosheth could have none with regard to these his murderers, to whom he had done no wrong, but had preferred them to places of trust and honour. In respect of David, however, Ish- bosheth was not righteous, because he opposed him whom he knew God had appointed to the throne. In his own house, upon his bed — This aggravated their crime, and made it very different from that of the Amalekite who slew Saul. Shall I not, therefore, require his blood at your hands? — As persons unworthy to live. There is no one villany which the human mind so naturally, so instinctively abhors as treachery; because it is, perhaps, the only villany from which no man living is secure; and for this reason every man must take pleasure in the punishing it. This conduct of David toward these murderers of Ish-bosheth is well worth our attention; it is a proof of his integrity and piety, and of his detestation of treachery and cruelty. And we may learn from hence, that we ought not only to do no hurt to our enemies, but that we ought not even to rejoice at the hurt which may happen to them without our contributing any thing to it, nor to countenance injustice and vice in any degree, how great advantage soever we may reap from them.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Innocent. Isboseth was such, at least, in their regard. He might also have mounted his father's throne, bona fide; and, at any rate, it was not their business to decide the matter (Calmet) in this treacherous manner. Thus Alexander punished Bessus, who had murdered his master, Darius, with whom the former was at war. (Haydock)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

person. Hebrew. "ish. App-14.

require = exact the penalty for.

earth = land.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) A righteous person—i.e., righteous, not at fault, so far as the matter in hand and his relation to the assassins is concerned.

Take you away from the earth.—“Rather, put you away out of the land. The word is one specially used of removing evil or the guilt of evil from the land (Deuteronomy 19:13; Deuteronomy 19:19, &c.). The guilt of murder defiled the land, until expiated by the execution of the murderer. (Numbers 35:33.)”—Kirkpatrick.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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?

when wicked

1 Kings 2:32; Proverbs 25:26; Habakkuk 1:4,12; 1 John 3:12

require

3:27,39; Genesis 9:5,6; Exodus 21:12; Numbers 35:31-34; Psalms 9:12

from

Genesis 4:11; 6:13; 7:23; Exodus 9:15; Psalms 109:15; Proverbs 2:22; Jeremiah 10:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:4 - wilt;  Joshua 2:19 - his blood;  Job 31:29 - General;  Lamentations 1:6 - all;  Ezekiel 3:18 - but;  Ezekiel 33:6 - his blood;  Habakkuk 1:13 - the wicked;  1 Timothy 6:10 - the love;  Hebrews 9:14 - How