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.
When they entered the house, they found him lying on his bed in his bedroom. They struck him down and killed him, then cut off his head. Taking his head with them, they traveled through the countryside all night long.
This verse describes the brutal assassination of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, by two of his own men who then fled with his head as proof of their deed.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of ancient Israel, after King Saul's death in battle, his son Ish-Bosheth was established as king over the northern tribes while David ruled in Hebron as king of Judah. Two of Ish-Bosheth's own army commanders, Rechab and Baanah, betrayed him by entering his house under false pretenses, killing him while he slept, and beheading him as an act of political opportunism. This event occurred during a time of division and conflict in Israel, as various factions vied for power in the wake of Saul's dynasty.
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