2 Samuel 4:4

Contextual Overview

¹When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. ¹ When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. ¹Then Ish-bosheth, Saul's son heard that Abner had died in Hebron. And he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed. ¹ Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was disturbed. ¹ And when Sauls sonne hearde that Abner was dead in Hebron, his handes were feeble, & al the Israelites were afrayde. ¹ Saul's son Ish Bosheth heard that Abner had died at Hebron. Ish Bosheth and all his people became very afraid. ¹ And the son of Saul heard that Abner was dead in Hebron. And his hands were feeble; and all those in Israel were terrified. ¹ When Ish-bo'sheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. ¹ When [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. ¹ And when Sauls sonne heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jonathan: 2 Samuel 9:3

when the tidings: 1 Samuel 29:1, 1 Samuel 29:11, 1 Samuel 31:1-10

Mephibosheth: 1 Chronicles 8:34, 1 Chronicles 9:40, Meribbaal

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 19:26 - thy servant 2 Samuel 21:7 - Mephibosheth 1 Kings 11:17 - Hadad Matthew 24:19 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
So Cain went out from the Lord 's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lorde, & dwelt in the lande of Nod, eastwarde from Eden.

Genesis 4:16
Cain went away from the Lord and lived in the land of Nod.

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cayn yede out fro the face of the Lord, and dwellide fleynge aboute in erthe, at the eest coost of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the East of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord , and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jonathan, Saul's son,.... His eldest son, who died at the same time with him:

had a son [that was] lame of [his] feet; of both feet, which were broken or bruised by a fall, as later related: and

he was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel: that is, when the tidings of their death came from Jezreel, the place where the battle was fought in which they died, to Gibeah, and the royal palace there; so that he was now twelve years of age:

and his nurse took him up and fled; fearing the Philistines would come thither and destroy the family of Saul; and this child being the son of Jonathan, the eldest son of Saul, was by birth heir to the crown, his father and grandfather being both dead, and which might make the nurse the more solicitous to save his life by flight:

and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame; in her hurry and fright he dropped out of her arms, and had some bone broken or dislocated, which was never rightly replaced, or had some contusion, of which he was never cured,

and his name [was] Mephibosheth, called Meribbaal, 1 Chronicles 8:34; of the change of such names 1 Chronicles 8:34- :. This story of Mephibosheth, and of his nurse's flight with him, and what happened upon it, is here inserted on occasion of the flight of the Beerothites, 2 Samuel 4:3; but chiefly to observe in what condition Saul's family now was, and what encouraged the murderers of Ishbosheth to be guilty of the crime they were, since when he was taken off, there was none but this lame child of that family; and as the removal of Ishbosheth would be of so much service to David, they doubted not but it would be very acceptable to him, and they should be greatly rewarded and honoured; and which they might do with the greatest safety, since the nearest kinsman and avenger of blood was so young, and lame of both his feet: or rather this is mentioned to show that Ishbosheth had no right to the throne, his eldest brother's son being living; so that those murderers might think they did the right thing, to take away the life of an usurper.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This mention of Mephibosheth seems to be inserted here partly to show that with the death of Ish-bosheth the cause of the house of Saul became hopeless, and partly to prepare the way for the subsequent mention of him 2 Samuel 9:1-13; 2 Samuel 16:1-4; 2 Samuel 19:25.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 4:4. He fell, and became lame — Dislocated his ankle, knee, or thigh; which was never after reduced; and thus he became lame. Lovely Jonathan! unfortunate in thy life, and in thy progeny.