Bible in 365 Days – Day 111

Focus Chapters:

• 2 Samuel 3:6-39
• 2 Samuel 4

Standout Verse(s):

2 Samuel 4:5-12 NLT

One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth’s house around noon as he was taking his midday rest. The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her. 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. When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth’s head to David. “Look!” they exclaimed to the king. “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the Lord has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!”

But David said to Recab and Baanah, “The Lord, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness. Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn’t I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?”

So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.

Observation (s):

1. Recab and Baanah betrayed Ishbosheth, killing him as he laid in bed sleeping.
   
   

   So Recab and Baanah slipped past her. 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.

   
   
2. The men approached David, with Ishbosheth’s head, believing that they would be praised for the murder of David’s enemy and giving David his revenge on Saul and his family.
   
   

   When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth’s head to David. “Look!” they exclaimed to the king. “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the Lord has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!”

   
   
3. Although Ishbosheth was David’s enemy and his death meant that David now ruled all of Israel and got his revenge on Saul’s family for his persecution, David held the men accountable for murdering an innocent man.
   
   

   But David said to Recab and Baanah, “The Lord, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness. Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn’t I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?”

   So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron.

Application:

There are several FIFA World Cup seasons that are laced with sandals of men who abandoned their principles in the name of winning. In 2014, Luis Suarez bit his opponent, Giorgio Chiellini, when he stopped a ball heading for goal in the 79th minute of a match. In 2018, the world watched Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior’s theatrics, in amusement. Out of 360 minutes of football, Neymar apparently spent 14 minutes on the floor; mainly rolling around in apparent agony before getting back on his feet again to continue with the dribbles, flicks and no-look passes. The sad thing is, despite all the scandals and principle deviations, none of the teams, represented by these men, won.

David was staunchly against murdering his opponent, enemy and Saul’s family, Ishbosheth, even if it mean that he had to fight to reign over all of Israel. When Recab and Baanah murdered Ishbosheth and brought his head to David, he stuck to his principles. Instead of rejoicing at his revenge and the downfall of his enemy, David held the men responsible for murdering an innocent man and had them punished.

You don’t have sacrifice your principles in order to get ahead or win. It never ends well.