2 Samuel 4:1 (NLT)
When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard about Abner’s death at Hebron, he lost all
courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.
2 Samuel 4:5-8 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. 6 The
doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So
Recab and Baanah slipped past her. 7 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. 8 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!”
1. Once again, murder is committed to gain influence with King David.
2 Samuel 4:9-12 NLT
But David said to Recab and Baanah, “The LORD, who saves me from all my
enemies, is my witness. 10 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! 11 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?”
12 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.
Job 15:5-6 (NLT)
Your sins are telling your mouth what to say. Your words are based on clever
deception. 6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I. Your own lips testify against
you.
2 Samuel 5:1-3 (NLT)
Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your
own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one
who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD told you, ‘You will be the
shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’”

3 So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the
elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
2. David waited to be king, and we too wait for King Jesus to return and reign.
2 Samuel 5:4-5 (NLT)
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in
all. 5 He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months,
and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.
Philippians 3:20 (NLT)
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are
eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
3. Before David made Jerusalem his home, it was an unconquered enemy city.
Joshua 10:3-4 (NLT)
So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings:
Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon. 4
“Come and help me destroy Gibeon,” he urged them, “for they have made peace
with Joshua and the people of Israel.”
Joshua 15:63 (NLT)
But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of
Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.
2 Samuel 5:6-10 (NLT)
David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original
inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David,
saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!”
For the Jebusites thought they were safe. 7 But David captured the fortress of
Zion, which is now called the City of David.
8 On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and
‘blind’ Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city
through the water tunnel.” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the
lame may not enter the house.”
9 So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He
extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward. 10 And
David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God of Heaven’s
Armies was with him.

Further study questions

1. Describe a time from childhood when you were fearful and afraid.
2. From 2 Samuel 4:1, why does Ishbosheth have fear? He’s the “rightful” heir
to the throne, so why would he be afraid? What is Israel’s response?
3. Read 2 Samuel 4:5-8. Good grief, how many times have we seen people
decapitated? What did the murderous brothers proclaim to David?
4. Read 2 Samuel 4:9-12. What was David’s response? When has David
responded like this before?
5. Read Job 15:5-6. How does this passage relate to the murderous brothers?
6. Read 2 Samuel 5:1-5. How many years did David reign?
7. Waiting isn’t fun. Rarely have I met someone who excels at patience and
waiting. Why is it that it’s constantly taught throughout the scriptures? What
character values come from being patient?
8. Describe a time you had to wait for something or someone for many years.
Looking back, how patient were you? What did you gain and learn from that
waiting season? From Philippians 3:20, who do we wait for?
9. Jerusalem was a longtime enemy city all the way back to the time of Joshua.
From 2 Samuel 5:6-10, how were they to gain access in to Jerusalem?
10. What was the name of the fortress? What did David call Jerusalem? What
happened to David from verse 10, and who was with him?