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Monday, September 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

2 Samuel 4:7

Thus they entered the house when, he, was lying on his bed, in his sleeping-chamber, and smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, - and took his head, and journeyed by way of the waste plain all the night;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Assassination;   Homicide;   Ish-Bosheth;   Rechab;   Regicide;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Murder;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Baanah and Rechab;   Bed;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Arabah;   Ish-Bosheth;   Mahanaim;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bannah;   Beeroth;   Rimmon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Head;   Ish-Bosheth;   Rechab;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Baanah;   House;   Rechab, Rechabites;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Baanah ;   Beeroth ;   Beheading;   Ishbosheth ;   Rechab ;   Rimmon ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Dwelling;   Ish-bosheth;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mill;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Arabah;   Champaign;   Crime;   Rechab;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Arabah;   Couch;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. They removed his head, took it, and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.
Hebrew Names Version
Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the `Aravah all night.
King James Version
For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
Lexham English Bible
When they had come into the house, he was lying on his couch in his bedchamber, and they attacked him and killed him. Then they beheaded him, and they took his head and went on the way of the Arabah all night.
English Standard Version
When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night,
New English Translation
They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was resting on his bed in his bedroom. They mortally wounded him and then cut off his head. Taking his head, they traveled on the way of the Arabah all that night.
Amplified Bible
Now when they entered the house he was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They [not only] struck and killed him, [but] they also beheaded him. Then they took his head and traveled all night by way of the Arabah.
New American Standard Bible
Now when they had come into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him, and they beheaded him. And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For when they came into the house, he slept on his bed in his bed chamber, & they smote him, and slewe him, and beheaded him, and tooke his head, and gate them away through the plaine all the night.
Legacy Standard Bible
Thus they came into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, and they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. And they took his head and went on the way leading to the Arabah all night.
Complete Jewish Bible
They entered the house as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, stabbed him and killed him; then they beheaded him, took his head and fled all night along the road through the ‘Aravah.
Darby Translation
They came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him; and they took his head, and went by the way of the plain all night.
George Lamsa Translation
For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him and slew him and beheaded him, and took his head and fled by the way of the plain all night.
Good News Translation
Once inside, they went to Ishbosheth's bedroom, where he was sound asleep, and killed him. Then they cut off his head, took it with them, and walked all night through the Jordan Valley.
Literal Translation
And they entered the house, and he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; and they struck him and killed him, and took off his head. And they took his head and went the way of the Arabah all the night.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For wha they came into ye house, he laye vpo his bed in his chamber, & they stickte him to death, & smote of his heade, and toke his heade, and departed by the waye of the playne felde all that nighte,
American Standard Version
Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
Bible in Basic English
And when they came into the house, Ish-bosheth was stretched on his bed in his bedroom; and they made an attack on him and put him to death, and, cutting off his head, they took it with them and went by the road through the Arabah all night.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For when they came into the house, he slept on his bed in his bed chamber, and they smote him and slue him, & beheaded him, and toke his head, & gat them away through the plaine all the night.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bed-chamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
King James Version (1611)
For when they came into the house, hee lay on his bedde in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and tooke his head, and gate them away thorow the plaine all night.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jebosthe was sleeping on his bed in his chamber: and they smite him, and slay him, and take off his head: and they took his head, and went all the night by the western road.
English Revised Version
Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
Berean Standard Bible
They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed, and having stabbed and killed him, they beheaded him, took his head, and traveled all night by way of the Arabah.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli whanne thei hadden entrid in to the hous, he slepte on his bedde in a closet; and thei smytiden and killiden hym; and whanne `his heed was takun, thei yeden bi the weie of deseert in al the nyyt.
Young's Literal Translation
yea, they come in to the house, and he is lying on his bed, in the inner part of his bed-chamber, and they smite him, and put him to death, and turn aside his head, and they take his head, and go the way of the plain all the night,
Update Bible Version
Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
Webster's Bible Translation
For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bed-chamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went away through the plain all night.
World English Bible
Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
New King James Version
For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain.
New Living Translation
They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night.
New Life Bible
They had come into the house while he was lying on his bed in his room. And they had hit him and killed him and cut off his head. They took his head and traveled by the way of Arabah all night.
New Revised Standard
Now they had come into the house while he was lying on his couch in his bedchamber; they attacked him, killed him, and beheaded him. Then they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night long.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For when they came into the house, he was sleeping upon his bed in a parlour, and they struck him and killed him and taking away his head they went off by the way of the wilderness, walking all night.
Revised Standard Version
When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him. They took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now when they came into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him and beheaded him. And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.

Contextual Overview

1 Now, when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands became feeble, - and, all Israel, were dismayed. 2 And two men, captains of bands, pertained to Ish-bosheth son of Saul - the name of the one, was Baanah, and, the name of the other, Rechab - sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin, - for, even Beeroth, used to be reckoned unto Benjamin; 3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, - and have been sojourners there, until this day. 4 And, Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son, lame of his feet, - five years old, was he, when tidings came in of Saul and Jonathan from Jezreel, so his nurse took him up, and fled, and it came to pass, when she started up to flee, that he fell and was lamed, and, his name, was, Mephibosheth. 5 So then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, took their journey and came in, about the heat of the day, unto the house of Ish-bosheth, - when, he, was lying on his noonday couch; 6 and, thither, entered they as fro as the middle of the house, to fetch wheat, and they smote him in the belly, - and, Rechab and Baanah his brother, escaped. 7 Thus they entered the house when, he, was lying on his bed, in his sleeping-chamber, and smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, - and took his head, and journeyed by way of the waste plain all the night; 8 and brought in the head of Ish-bosheth unto David, at Hebron, and said unto the king, Lo! the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life: so hath Yahweh given to my lord the king, avengement this day, on Saul and on his seed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

took his head: 1 Samuel 17:54, 1 Samuel 31:9, 2 Kings 10:6, 2 Kings 10:7, Matthew 14:11, Mark 6:28, Mark 6:29, When those difficulties dispirit us which should rather invigorate us and sharpen our endeavours, we betray a carelessness of character which is soon taken advantage of by our more watchful neighbours. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer.

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:16 - Let the Lord 2 Samuel 11:2 - arose from

Cross-References

Genesis 3:16
Unto the woman, he said, I will, increase, thy pain of pregnancy, In pain, shalt thou year children, - Yet, unto thy husband, shall be thy hinging, Though, he, rule over thee.
Genesis 4:6
So then Yahweh said unto Cain, - Wherefore hath it angered thee, and wherefore hath thy countenance fallen?
Genesis 4:8
And Cain said unto Abel his brother Let us go into the field And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Genesis 4:9
Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I?
Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,
Genesis 4:11
Now therefore, accursed, art thou, - from the ground which hath opened her mouth, to receive the shed-blood of thy brother at thy hand.
Genesis 4:12
Though thou till the ground, it shall not go on to give its vigour to thee. A wanderer and a fugitive, shalt thou be in the earth.
Genesis 4:13
And Cain said unto Yahweh - Greater is my punishment than I can bear.
Genesis 19:21
And he said unto him, Behold! I have lifted up thy countenance, even as to this thing, - so that I will not overthrow the city, of which thou hast spoken.
Numbers 32:23
But, if ye shall not do this, lo! ye will have sinned against Yahweh, - and take note of your sin, that it will find you out.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber,.... This is repeated to give a more particular account of the murder; though Abarbinel thinks they went in twice; when they went in first they smote him under the fifth rib, and made their escape; but fearing they had not left him dead, they returned, and did as follows:

and they smote him, and slew him; so that it was out of all doubt with them that he was dead:

and beheaded him; to make sure work of it:

and took his head; along with them, perhaps in one of the sacks they had to fetch wheat in, and so passed undiscovered, to carry to David, to curry favour with him:

and gat them away through the plain all night; through the plain of Jordan; all the way from Mahanaim to Hebron being for the most part a plain country till they came to Hebron, which was mountainous; the way from Mahanaim to Hebron was a space of sixty eight miles, according to Bunting z.

z Travels, p. 145, 148.


 
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