2 Samuel 4 · Verse 6

2 Samuel 4:6

And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

2 Samuel 4:6, King James Version

2 Samuel 4:6 in other translations

BSB	They entered the interior of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
WEB	They came there into the middle of the house as though they would have fetched wheat, and they struck him in the body; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
ASV	And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
YLT	and thither they have come, unto the midst of the house, taking wheat, and they smite him unto the fifth rib, and Rechab and Baanah his brother have escaped;
DARBY	And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would fetch wheat; and they smote him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
BBE	And Rechab and his brother Baanah got in without being seen.
Webster	And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

What does 2 Samuel 4:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 4:5-6

5-6. Rechab and Baanah went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, &c.--It is still a custom in the East to allow their soldiers a certain quantity of corn, together with some pay; and these two captains very naturally went to the palace the day before to fetch wheat, in order to distribute it to the soldiers, that it might be sent to the mill at the accustomed hour in the morning.

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Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 As though they would have fetched wheat - The king's stores were probably near his own dwelling; and these men were accustomed to go thither for provisions for themselves, their cattle, and their men. This supposition which is natural, renders unnecessary all the emendations of Houbigant and others. As these men were accustomed to bring wheat from these stores, from which it appears there was an easy passage to the king's chamber, (especially if we consider this a summer-house, as it most probably was), no man would suspect their present errand, as they were in the habit of going frequently to that place.

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…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 4:1-7 →

2 Samuel 4:6 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.

וְ֠הֵנָּהVe.he.nahand they [fem]H2007

בָּ֜אוּBa.'uthey cameH935

עַד\־'ad-toH5704

תּ֤וֹךְTokh[the] middle ofH8432

הַבַּ֙יִת֙ha.Ba.yitthe houseH1004

לֹקְחֵ֣יlo.ke.CheitakingH3947

חִטִּ֔יםchi.Tim<of> wheat<s>H2406

וַיַּכֻּ֖הוּvai.ya.Ku.huand they struck himH5221

אֶל\־'el-toH413

הַחֹ֑מֶשׁha.Cho.meshthe bellyH2570

וְרֵכָ֛בve.re.Khavand RechabH7394

וּבַעֲנָ֥הu.va.'a.Nahand BaanahH1196

אָחִ֖יו'a.Chivbrother hisH251

נִמְלָֽטוּ\׃nim.La.tuthey escapedH4422

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 4:6

2 Samuel 2:23
Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
2 Samuel 20:10
But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

as though.It is still the custom of the East, according to Dr. Perry, to allow the soldiers a certain quantity of corn, with other articles of provision, together with some pay: and as it was the custom also to grind the corn, as needed, at the break of day, these two captains very naturally went the day before to the palace, where the king's stores appear to have been kept, to fetch wheat, in order to distribute it to the soldiers under them, to be ground at the accustomed hour in the morning. The princes of the East, in those days, as appears from the history of David, reposed on their couches till the cool of the evening: they therefore came in the heat of the day, when they knew their master would be resting on his bed; and as it was a necessary to have the corn before it was needed, their coming at this time, though it might be earlier than usual, excited no suspicion.
under.
2:23; 3:27; 20:10

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

Context

2 Samuel 4:5
And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish–bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.
2 Samuel 4:6
And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
2 Samuel 4:7
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.

Read all of 2 Samuel 4

2 Samuel 4:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces entraron ellos en medio de la casa en hábito de mercaderes de grano, y le hirieron en la quinta costilla. Escapáronse luego Rechâb y Baana su hermano;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et ils entrèrent jusque dans l’intérieur de la maison, comme pour prendre du froment, et ils le frappèrent au ventre; et Récab et Baana, son frère, s’échappèrent.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und sie kamen dahin, bis in das Innere des Hauses, als wollten sie Weizen holen, und sie schlugen ihn in den Bauch. Und Rekab und sein Bruder Baana entrannen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Ingressi sunt autem domum latenter assumentes spicas tritici, et percusserunt eum in inguine Rechab, et Baana frater ejus, et fugerunt.