2 Samuel 4 · Verse 1

2 Samuel 4:1

And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2 Samuel 4:1, King James Version

2 Samuel 4:1 in other translations

BSBNow when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed.
WEBWhen Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
ASVAnd when Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
YLTAnd the son of Saul heareth that Abner is dead in Hebron, and his hands are feeble, and all Israel have been troubled.
DARBYAnd when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were enfeebled, and all Israel was troubled.
BBEAnd when Saul's son Ish-bosheth had news that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
WebsterAnd when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

What does 2 Samuel 4:1 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Some account of Rechab and Baanah, two of Ish-bosheth's captains, and of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, 2Sam 4:1-4. Rechab and Baanah murder Ish-bosheth, and escape; and bring his head to David, 2Sam 4:5-8. David is greatly irritated, and commands them to be slain, 2Sam 4:9-12. Verse 1 All the Israelites were troubled - Abner was their great support; and on him they depended; for it appears that Ish-bosheth was a feeble prince, and had few of those qualities requisite for a sovereign.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 4:1-7
See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us, which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crowns and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty and ruin. The idle soul is an easy prey to the destroyer. We know not when and where death will meet us. When we lie down to sleep, we are not sure that we may not sleep the sleep of death before we awake; nor do we know from what hand the death-blow may come.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 4:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣עvai.yish.Ma'and he heardH8085
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
שָׁא֗וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
כִּ֣יkithatH3588
מֵ֤תmethe had diedH4191
אַבְנֵר֙'av.NerAbnerH74
בְּחֶבְר֔וֹןbe.chev.Ronin HebronH2275
וַיִּרְפּ֖וּvai.yir.Puand they droppedH7503
יָדָ֑יוya.Davhands hisH3027
וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
נִבְהָֽלוּ\׃niv.Ha.luthey were terrifiedH926

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 4:1

  • Ezra 4:4

    Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

  • Isaiah 13:7

    Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:

  • Jeremiah 6:24

    We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

  • 2 Samuel 17:2

    And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

  • Isaiah 35:3

    Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

  • Matthew 2:2-3

    Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

  • 2 Samuel 3:27

    And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

  • Zephaniah 3:16

    In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

  • Nehemiah 6:9

    For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

  • Jeremiah 50:43

    The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The Israelites being troubled at the death of Abner,
2 Baanah and Rechab slay Ish-bosheth, and bring his head to Hebron.
9 David causes them to be slain, and Ish-bosheth's head to be buried.

his hands.
17:2; Ezr 4:4; Ne 6:9; Isa 13:7; 35:3; Jer 6:24; 50:43; Zep 3:16
and all.
Mt 2:2,3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 4:1

    And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

  • 2 Samuel 4:2

    And Saul’s son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:

Read all of 2 Samuel 4

2 Samuel 4:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		LUEGO que oyó el hijo de Saúl que Abner había sido muerto en Hebrón, las manos se le descoyuntaron, y fué atemorizado todo Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quand le fils de Saül apprit qu’Abner était mort à Hébron, ses mains furent affaiblies, et tout Israël fut troublé.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als der Sohn Sauls hörte, daß Abner zu Hebron gestorben war, da wurden seine Hände schlaff, und ganz Israel war bestürzt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Audivit autem Isboseth filius Saul quod cecidisset Abner in Hebron: et dissolutæ sunt manus ejus, omnisque Israël perturbatus est.