John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber , etc.] 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 f77 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - See how Ishbosheth was murdered! When those difficulties dispirit us which should sharpen our endeavours, we betray both our heavenly crown and our earthly lives. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty an 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 no sure that we may not sleep the sleep of death before we awake; nor d we know from what hand the death-blow may come.
Original Hebrew ויבאו935 הבית1004 והוא1931 שׁכב7901 על5921 מטתו4296 בחדר2315 משׁכבו4904 ויכהו5221 וימתהו4191 ויסירו5493 את853 ראשׁו7218 ויקחו3947 את853 ראשׁו7218 וילכו1980 דרך1870 הערבה6160 כל3605 הלילה׃3915
