And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until that day. At the death of Saul, when many of the Israelites deserted their cities, and left them to the Philistines, 1 Samuel 31:7 ; and so the inhabitants of Beeroth forsook their city, which was near the Philistines, and went to Gittaim, a city in the same tribe, though a little further off, see Nehemiah 11:33 . read more
The Beerothites fled to Gittaim - Probably the same as Gath; as Ramathaim is the same as Ramah. read more
( MAHANAIM .) The unhappy lot of Ishbosheth. Of the varied types of character which these chapters furnish, that which appears in Ishbosheth (Eshbaal, 1 Chronicles 8:33 ) is a most pitiable one. The last surviving son of Saul, he bore little resemblance to his heroic father; owed his life to his incapacity for military enterprise; was the legitimate successor of Saul according to the law of Oriental succession; after the brief suspense in which the elders of Israel seemed disposed to... read more
The facts are: 1 . On the death of Abner, consternation seizes Ishbosheth and his friends. 2 . The only other representative of the house of Saul was a mere boy, whose age and bodily infirmity rendered his coming to the front out of the question. 3 . Two of Ishbosheth's officers, forming a secret design, visit Ishbosheth as though on business connected with their duties, and slay him. 4 . Stealing away by night, they carry the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and think to... read more
Gittaim . This word is a dual, and means "the two Gaths;" the one being, probably, the acropolis, or upper town, at the foot of which nestled a new Gath, protected by the ancient stronghold. It is mentioned as belonging to Benjamin in Nehemiah 11:33 ; but could not have been an Israelite town at this time, as the Beerothites are described as sojourners, that is, dwellers in a foreign country. When expelled from Beeroth, they probably seized Gittaim by force, and, on the reconciliation... read more
2 Samuel 4:3. The Beerothites fled to Gittaim When Saul was slain, several Israelites left their cities and fled, and the Philistines took possession of them. Among these, it seems, this city was forsaken of its inhabitants; and were sojourners there until this day When this book was written they were not returned to their own country, being commodiously settled at Gittaim. read more
End of the line of Saul (3:2-4:12)On becoming king of Judah, David followed the pattern of neighbouring kings by taking a number of wives (2-5). (For the more important people of David’s family and relatives see the appendix at the end of the commentary on 2 Samuel.) Meanwhile Abner became so powerful among Ishbosheth’s supporters, that Ishbosheth accused him of trying to gain the throne for himself. (According to an eastern custom, one way a person signified his claim to the throne was by... read more
2 Samuel 4:2-3. (For Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin— Beeroth was a city formerly belonging to the Gibeonites, within the lot of Benjamin, but most certainly not inhabited by them, when the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, after the defeat of Gilboa; for Gittaim was a Benjamite city, and had those Beerothites been Gibeonites, they would have fled to any region of the earth, rather than to the protection of the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe of Saul, the mortal enemy to their race. What then are... read more
2. David’s punishment of Ish-bosheth’s murderers ch. 4"Saul the king is dead, Jonathan the heir apparent is dead, Abinadab and Malki-Shua (two of Jonathan’s brothers) are dead (1 Samuel 31:2), Abner the commander of the army is dead-and no other viable claimants or pretenders continue to block David’s accession to the throne except Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth and Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. Chapter 4 removes them from the scene, one explicitly and the other implicitly." [Note: Youngblood, p. 843.]... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 4:1-8
Here is, I. The weakness of Saul's house. Still it grew weaker and weaker. 1. As for Ishbosheth, who was in possession of the throne, his hands were feeble, 2 Sam. 4:1. All the strength they ever had was from Abner's support, and now that he was dead he had no spirit left in him. Though Abner had, in a passion, deserted his interest, yet he hoped, by his means, to make good terms with David; but now even this hope fails him, and he sees himself forsaken by his friends and at the mercy of his... read more