The Murder of Ish-bosheth

The Story of Ish-bosheth’s murder:

The Family of Saul - Incapable of Regency (2 Sam 4:1, 4)

Ish-bosheth - Abner’s puppet (1)

Mephibosheth - handicapped (4)

Neither could lead Israel against their enemies

Names mean “man of shame” and “whose mouth proclaims shame”

The Captains of Saul - Incapable of Courage (2 Sam 4:2-3, 5-7)

Their families had fled, likely during the Philistine conquest in 1 Sam 31

When they kill Ish-bosheth, they sneak in and kill him in his own bed (2 Sam 4:5-7)

Twice Ish-bosheth is said to be in his bed (2 Sam 4:5, 7)

They enter “as if to get wheat” and leave “by the way of the Arabah all night” (sneaking in and out)

Proper Theology Prevents Wrongdoing

2 Samuel 4:8–9 ESV

8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity,

The Difference of Perspectives

Notice the way the sons of Rimmon “justify” their action:

Ish-bosheth is “your enemy”

“The LORD has avenged my lord”

Notice the similarity, and the differences, between the descriptions:

The sons of Rimmon demonstrate a false theology that seeks to excuse their wrong: Ishbosheth is “your enemy, who sought your life”

David demonstrates a proper theology that seeks to prevent wrong: YHWH is “who has redeemed my life out of every adversity”

When theology is proper, it does not excuse wrong, but prevents it.

When we use theology to excuse wrongs that we do/want to do, we are worshiping a false god of our own design rather than the true God.

Proper Justice Punishes Wrongdoing

2 Samuel 4:10–12 ESV

10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

Proper Justice Persistently Punishes Wrongdoing (2 Sam 4:10):

One killed Saul and tried to get credit from David, but David punished his crime with death (2 Sam 1:2-16)

When Joab killed Abner in retaliation for Abner killing his brother Asahel, David mourns Abner and curses Joab and his family instead of rewarding him (2 Sam 3:26-39)

Proper justice does not flex with the whims of men

Proper Justice Proportionately Punishes Wrongdoing (2 Sam 4:11)

David does not seek their lives because they have merely “sinned,” but because their sin is grievous: they killed Ish-bosheth while he was sleeping in his bed

Note David’s assessment of these men and their victim: they are “wicked men,” but Ish-bosheth is a “righteous man”

Proper justice does not over-punish, nor under-punish the wrongdoer

The phrase “eye for eye” comes from Ex:21:24, where the context shows that retributive justice is the topic

God expects us to enact justice that directly and proportionately meets the wrong done

Proper Justice Publicly Punishes Wrongdoing (2 Sam 4:12)

Notice that David doesn’t hide the punishment - he has their hands and feet cut off (a sign of divine cursing) and their bodies publicly displayed

There is no reason to be shy or bashful about proper justice - it should be made known to detract wrongdoers and encourage the righteous

Proverbs 11:10 ESV

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

Justice is naturally extroverted: it wants to go public