Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Lay on a bed at noon - It is a custom in all hot countries to travel or work very early and very late, and rest at noonday, in which the heat chiefly prevails.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Lay on a bed at noon - Render, “was taking his midday rest,” according to the custom of hot countries.

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

THE MURDER OF ISHBOSHETH

"Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ishbosheth, as he was taking his noonday rest. And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept; so Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped in. When they came into the house, as he slept on his bed in his bed-chamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him."

These mercenary raiders were employees of Ishbosheth, whose services were probably utilized in raids against the Philistines. As such, they were subjects of Ishbosheth; and he was their king to whom they had sworn allegiance. This action in their murder of Ishbosheth was exceedingly criminal. As for their motivation, there might have been some residual hatred in their hearts due to Saul's persecution of their people; but there can be little doubt that their intention was exactly like that of the self-seeking Amalekite who pretended to have slain Saul. They supposed that such a deed would place in their hands the means of their ingratiating themselves with David; and they no doubt expected to be richly rewarded for their crime.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah,

went,.... From Gittaim, where they were sojourners, 2 Samuel 4:3; or from the army, where they had commissions, wherever it was:

and came, about the heat of the day; the middle of the day, at noon, as follows:

to the house of Ishbosheth; which was at Mahanaim:

who lay on a bed at noon; as was usual in hot countries, especially for great personages, as kings; so the Targum,"and he was sleeping the sleep of kings;'or at a time when king's usually slept; though this is remarked by some as an instance and proof of the sluggishness and inactivity of this prince, who left the management of all affairs to Abner his general, and gave himself to sloth and sensuality; which, when indulged, bring ruin on princes and their kingdoms.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 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.

Ver. 5. Who lay on a bed at noon.] And on his bed was slain sleeping: so true is that

“ Per quod quis peccat, per idem punitur et ipse. ”

It was much he could sleep at all, having so lately lost his Antipater, his Abner; but to sleep at noon, and without a guard, speaketh him both sluggish and secure. He dieth therefore in his sloth, who had lived slothfully all his days: Qualis vita finis ira. (a) Some hold that these two were captains of Ishbosheth’s guard, and thereby had so easy an access unto his person. Queen Elizabeth complained that in trust she had found treason. And Augustus Caesar was wont to say of his own guard, Metuendum est esse sine custode, sed multo magis a custode metuendum est. (b) It is dangerous to be without a guard, and yet more dangerous to have one.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Either from discontent of mind, as Ahab did, 1 Kings 21:4; or from sloth and sensuality, as David seems to have done, 2 Samuel 11:2.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

5.Lay on a bed at noon — A common custom in the East. “In Arabia it is so hot in July and in August, that, except in a case of pressing necessity, nobody goes out from eleven in the morning till three in the afternoon. The Arabs seldom work during this time; they employ it commonly in sleeping in a vault into which the air is let from above.” — Harmer’s Observations.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

At noon, "to divide the day," as Varro (iii. 2,) writes. This custom is very prevalent in hot countries. --- And the, &c., is all omitted in Hebrew and in most ancient manuscripts of St. Jerome's version. It is taken from the Septuagint, (Calmet) who do not notice any farther the taking ears of corn, ver. 6. (Haydock) --- Probably the Hebrew had this sentence formerly. (Du Hamel) --- It was customary to have women to keep the doors; (Matthew xxvi. 69,) and they were often employed in cleansing wheat. Petronius says, in lance argentea pisum purgabat. (Calmet) --- The ears of corn, hardly ripe, were cleansed, and used as a delicious food. (Tirinus) (1 Kings xvii. 17.) (Sanctius)

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

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.

Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day ... It is still a custom in the East to allow their soldiers a certain quantity of grain, together with some pay; and these two captains very naturally went to the palace the day before to fetch wheat, in order to distribute it to the soldiers, that it might be sent to the mill at the accustomed hour in the morning.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Who lay on a bed at noon—according to the custom in hot countries of taking a siesta at midday. Ish-bosheth’s bed was, of course, in the coolest and most retired part of the house.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

went

2 Chronicles 24:25; 25:27; 33:24

lay on a bed

It is customary, in all hot countries, to travel or work very early and very late, and to rest at noon, at which time the heat most prevails.

11:2; 1 Kings 16:9; Proverbs 24:33,34; 1 Thessalonians 5:3-7