Baanah

Biblical Account

Baanah appears only in 2 Samuel 4. He was the son of Rimmon, a Beerothite of the tribe of Benjamin, and together with his brother Rechab he served as a captain (the leader of a band of troops) under Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul (2 Samuel 4:2). The text adds that Beeroth was also reckoned to Benjamin.

After Abner, Ish-bosheth's military commander, died at Hebron, Ish-bosheth's position was greatly weakened (2 Samuel 4:1). At that time Baanah and Rechab entered Ish-bosheth's house at midday. Pretending to have come for wheat, they went in and stabbed Ish-bosheth to death as he lay on his bed taking his midday rest. They then cut off his head, traveled all night, and brought it to David at Hebron (2 Samuel 4:5-8). The two men declared, "The LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day" (2 Samuel 4:8).

David reminded them that he had already put to death at Ziklag the man who brought him news of Saul's death. He then declared that, since wicked men had slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, he would require his blood at their hands (2 Samuel 4:9-11). At David's command the two were executed; their hands and feet were cut off, and they were hanged beside the pool in Hebron. Ish-bosheth's head was buried in Abner's tomb at Hebron (2 Samuel 4:12).

Significance Within Scripture

This episode immediately precedes the account in which the kingship of Saul's house comes to an end and David becomes king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5). The text shows that David had no hand in the fall of Saul's house and that he instead punished a murder committed for the sake of the throne. The scene is read as a counterpart to the story of the Amalekite who reported Saul's death (2 Samuel 1). The New Testament does not mention Baanah.

Interpretation and Issues

• Motive: The text does not state directly why the two men killed Ish-bosheth. On the basis of what they said to David, the common interpretation is that they hoped to win David's favor or a reward. Beeroth was originally one of the cities of the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:17). For this reason some commentators link the brothers' background to their motive, but this is speculation not supported by the text.
• Textual variant: The Septuagint is known to contain a different reading of 4:6, according to which the two men entered while the doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, had dozed off. For this reason some translations render this verse differently.
• Others of the same name: Scripture mentions other individuals bearing the same name: the father of Heleb (Heled) the Netophathite (2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:30); two of Solomon's district officers, the son of Ahilud and the son of Hushai (1 Kings 4:12, 16); a leader who returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7); the father of Zadok (Nehemiah 3:4); and one who sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:27). These are different people from the Baanah treated in this article.

In the Korean Church

Sermons or study materials devoted specifically to Baanah are rare; he is mentioned mainly in sermons or Bible studies on the life of David. In such contexts he serves as an example illustrating that David did not seize the throne for himself but waited for God's timing, and that he refused to accept credit gained by unrighteous means.