The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 123: The Death of Ish-bosheth (2025)

Episode Date: May 3, 2025

Fr. Mike highlights the importance of David's reaction to the death of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son. Today we read 2 Samuel 4, 1 Chronicles 5-6, and Psalm 26. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 123. It is day 123. We are reading from 2 Samuel chapter 4. We're also

reading two chapters out of 1 Chronicles chapters 5 and 6. We're also praying Psalm 26. As always, I am reading from the Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe, then you would be subscribed. And when everyone does that, I will no longer say that when you can, this thing at the beginning of every single day, but 123 days, my goodness, you guys,

I'm so proud of you. Keep going, also, also, also, chapter four is relatively short in 2 Samuel. And there are some names, not as many names as in chapters five and six of first Chronicles, but the name is Ishbasheth, right? Or Ishbasheth. I've kind of fully committed to Ishbasheth and so I apologize if you're you're annoyed, you look reading your Bible and it's that you say it says Ishbasheth and I would say you're probably right, but I'm committed to Ishbecheath

And so it's also fun to say just try it try it at home. Try it in your car as you're driving It is a gift to be able to be here again 2nd Samuel chapter 4 first Chronicles chapter 5 and 6 and Psalm 26 2nd Samuel chapter 4 Ishbecheath is assassinated When Ishbecheath Saul's son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his courage failed and all Israel was dismayed. Now, Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands. The name of the one was Ba'ana and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Ramon, a man of Benjamin from Beiroth, for Beiroth also is reckoned to Benjamin. The Beirothites fled to Getaim and have been sojourners there to this day.

Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. Now the sons of Ramon the Beirothite, Rechab and Ba'ana set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Eshibosheth, as he was taking his noonday rest. And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept, so Rechab and Ba'ana his brother slipped in.

When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bed chamber, they struck him, and slew him, and beheaded him. They took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night, and brought the head of Ishibisheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, Here is the head of Ishibisheth, the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the the king, this day on Saul and on his offspring." But David answered Rahab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Ramon the Beirothite, as the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity. When one told me, behold, Saul is dead, and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and slew him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous man in his own house upon his bed shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth. And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of the Shibosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron. Verse Chronicles chapter 5. Descendants of Reuben. The sons of Reuben, the first born of Israel, for he was the firstborn, but because he polluted his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. Though Judah became strong among his brothers, and a prince was from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph. The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, Hanukkah, Palu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of Joel, Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei

his son, Micah his son, Rhiaya his son, Baal his son, Beirah his son, whom Tilgoth, Pilnasser, king of Assyria, carried away into exile, he was a chieftain of the Rubanites, and his kinsmen by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, the chief, Gaeil, and Zechariah, and Bela the son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, who dwelt in Eroar, as far as Nebo and Baal-Meon. He also dwelt to the east as far as the entrance of the desert this side of the Euphrates, because their cattle had multiplied in the land of Gilead. And in the days of Saul they made war on the Hegrites, who fell by their hand, and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead.

Descendants of Gad The sons of Gad dwelt over against them in the land of Peshon as far as Salikah, Joel the chief, Shafam the second, Janai, and Shaphat of Peshon, and their kinsmen according to their father's houses, Michael, Meshulam, Sheba, Jerai, Jekhan, Ziah, and Eber, seven. These were the sons of Abihel, the son of Hurri, son of Jarroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshiah, son of Jaddo, son of Buz. Ahai, the son of Abdel, son of Guni, was the chief in their father's houses, and they dwelt in Gilead, in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon to

their limits. All of these were enrolled by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. The Rubinites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, ready for service. They made war upon the Hegrites, Jator, Nafish, and Nodab. And when they received help against them, the Hegrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried to God in battle, and He granted their entreaty because they trusted in Him.

They carried off their livestock, fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred and fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and a hundred thousand men alive. For many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their place until the exile. The Half-Tribe of Manasseh The members of the Half-Tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the exile. The half-tribe of Manasseh. The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land. They were very numerous, from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Sinir and Mount Hermon. These were the heads of their father's houses, Ephur, Ishi, Eliel, Azrael, Jeremiah, Hudaviah, and Jadiel, mighty warriors,

famous men, heads of their father's houses. But they transgressed against the God of their fathers and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pule, king of Assyria, the spirit of Tilgoth Pilnasser, king of Assyria, and he carried them away, namely the Rubinites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Challah, Chabor, Chara, and the river Gozan to this day. Chapter 6.

Descendants of Levi. The sons of Levi, Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Kohath, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uziel. The children of Amran, Aaron, Moses, and Miriam, the sons of Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eliezer, and Ithamar. Eliezer was the father of Phineas, Phineas of Abishua, Abishua of Bukki, Bukki of Uzi, Uzi of Zerahaya, Zerahaya of Maioth, Maraioth of Amariah, Amariah of Ahitub, Ahitub of Zadok, Zadok of Ahimaaz, Ahimaaz of Azariah, Azariah of Johanan. In Johanan of Azariah, it was he who served as priest in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem. Azariah was the father of Amariah, Amariah of Ahitub, Ahitub of Zadok, Zadok of Shulum,

Shalom of Hilkiah, Hilkiah of Azariah, Azariah of Sariah, Sariah of Jehosedach, and Jehosedach went into exile when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. The sons of Levi, Gershom, Kohath, and Marari, and these are the names of the sons of Gersham, Libni, and Shimei. The sons of Kohath, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uziyel. The sons of Marari, Mali, and Musi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers of Gersham, Libni his son, Jehath his son, Zimah his son, Joah his son, Edo his son, Zirah his son, Jeh-Atharai his son, the sons of Kohath, Amenadab his son, Korah his son,

Asir his son, Elkenah his son, Abiasaph his son, Asir his son, Tahath his son Uriel his son Uzaya his son Shawol his son the sons of Alkanah Amasai and Ahimoth Alkanah his son Zophai his son Nehat his son Elieb his son Jerroham his son Alkanah his son the sons of of Samuel, Joel his firstborn, the second Abijah, the sons of Mirari, Mali, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, Shimei his son, Hegea his son, and Asiah his son. Musicians appointed by David These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house

of the Lord after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they performed their service in due order. These are the men who served and their sons, of the sons of the Coathites, Heman, the singer, the son of Joel, son of Samuel, son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toa, son of Zuf, son of Elkanah, son of Mehat, son of Amasai, son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, son of Teheath, son of Asir, son of Ebi-asath, son of Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel, and his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, namely Asaph, the son of Berechiah, son of Shimeah, son of Michael, son of Baaseah, son of Malkijah,

son of Ethni, son of Zerah, son of Adiah, son of Ethan, son of Zimah, son of Shemihai, son of Jehath, son of Gershom, son of Levi. On the left hand were their brethren, the sons of Morari, Ethan, the son of Kishi, son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemur, son of Mali, son of Musi, son of Marari, son of Levi. And their brethren, the Levites, were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God. But Aaron and his sons made offerings upon the altar of

burnt offering, and upon the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. These are the sons of Aaron, Eliezer his son, Phineas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son, Uzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Maraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zedok his son, Ahimaaz his son. Settlements of the Levites These are the dwelling places according to their settlements within their borders, to the sons of Aaron of the families of the Coathites, for theirs was the lot.

To them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasture lands. But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunah. To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron, Libnah with its pasturelands, Jatir, Eshtemoah with its pasturelands, Hilen with its pasturelands, Dabir with its pasturelands, Ashan with its pasturelands, and Bet-Chemesh with its pasturelands. And from the tribes of Benjamin, Giba with its pastor lands, Elameth with its pastor lands, and Anathoth with its pastor lands. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen. To the rest of the Quothites were given by lot out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities.

To the Gershomites, according to their their families were allotted thirteen cities out of the tribes of Issachar Asher Naftali and Manasseh in Bashan To the Merah rights according to their families were allotted twelve cities out of the tribes of Rubin Gad and Zebulun So the sons of Israel gave the Levites the cities with their pasture lands They also gave them by lot out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name. And some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their territory out of the tribe of Ephraim.

They were given the cities of refuge. Shechem with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, Giza with its pasture lands, Jukmeam with its pasture lands, Bet-Hon with its pastor lands, Aijalon with its pastor lands, Gath-remon with its pastor lands, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Anur with its pastor lands, Biliam with its pastor lands, for the rest of the families of the Kohathites. To the Gershamites were given out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its pastor lands, and Ashtaroth with its pastor lands, and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kadesh with its pastor lands and Asheroth with its pastor lands and out of the tribe of Issachar Kadesh with its pastor lands Deborah with its pastor lands

Ramoth with its pastor lands and Anam with its pastor lands out of the tribe of Asher Mashaal with its pastor lands Abdon with its pastor lands Hukok with its pastor lands and Rehob with its pasture lands and out of the tribe of naftali Kadesh in Galilee with its pasture lands Hemon with its pasture lands Keryathain with its pasture lands To the rest of the Mara rights were allotted out of the tribe of zebulun Romano with its pasture lands

Tabor with its pasture lands and beyond the Jordan at Jericho on the east side of the Jordan out of the tribe of Rubin Bezer in the step with its pasture lands Jazah with its pasture lands Kedemoth with its pasture lands and Mefaa with its pasture lands and out of the tribe of Gad Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands Mehanim with its pasture lands Heshbon with its pasture lands and Jazer with its pasture lands lands, Heshbon with its pastor lands, and Jaser with its pastor lands.

Psalm 26, plea for justice and declaration of righteousness, a psalm of David. Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Prove me, O God, and try me. Test my heart and my mind, for your mercy is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you. I do not sit with false men, nor do I consort with dissemblers. I hate the company of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O Lord, singing aloud a song of thanksgiving and telling all your wondrous deeds. O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.

Sweep me not away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, men in whose hands are evil devices and whose right hands are full of bribes. But as for me, I walk in my integrity, redeem me and have mercy on me. My foot stands on level ground. In the great congregation, I will bless the Lord. Father in heaven, we give you praise and glory. We thank you so much for your word. We thank you for just the fact that you've worked in history and you continue to work

in history. Lord God, you've worked with every one of these people and every one of these families and tribes, just like you work with us, every one of us, listening to your word being proclaimed. All of our families strong and weak, all of our families whole and broken, all of our families united and families divided. Lord God, you are part of history.

You're the God of history and you're the God of eternity and you're the God of our history and you lead us and call us into eternity. And so we give you thanks, we give you praise and please receive our praise today. On this day, this day, 123 days of listening to your word of being shaped by your word, we thank you and praise you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen. So two quick things I wanna highlight. One is from the story of David, right? In 2 Samuel chapter four, because this is going to be pretty important for us to be attentive to. Why?

Well, not only because you can pronounce Ish-e-bisheth, both the way I pronounce it and Ish-e-bisheth, but because of the fact that here is David who wants to be an honorable man. Now, I mentioned this before, when we get deeper into Chronicles, we're going to see David. We're going to see a kind of maybe, I don't want, when we get deeper into Chronicles, we're gonna see David, we're gonna see a kind of,

maybe, I don't wanna say an edited David, but we're gonna just focus on the positive, the strengths, the character, not flaws, but the character strengths of David in Chronicles. Now, Samuel is going to reveal David's woundedness, his flaws, his realness, not to say that his strengths aren't also his real thing. But what I'm trying to say is, in chapter four of second Samuel, we see how consistent

David is. We see his character through and through, that David from the very beginning has been someone who doesn't necessarily take pleasure in violence. He doesn't take pleasure in punishing those who don't need to be punished according to him. Now later on, David, he should have taken more action. He should have done more to punish those who need punishment. But in this moment, David is taking mercy upon Ishbosheth or Ishibosheth, but I've committed, I said it already,

committed to Ishbosheth. David wants to take mercy on this, his enemy, right? So all, not all of Israel, but many in Israel were calling Ishbosheth, Ishbosh all, not all of Israel, but many in Israel were calling Ish-basheth, Ish-basheth, now I'm confused. Ish-basheth, they were calling him to be the new king. He was going to be the enemy of David. He was the enemy of David.

And yet, when Rahab and Ba'ana, they go into Ish-basheth's home, and as he's sleeping, they murder him in bed, they assassinate him in bed, and they say to David Hey, this is the deal. We just we just destroyed the last remaining member of the family of King Saul almost To be to be continued on that one almost the last surviving member at least the only threat you have to you right now and

David responds by highlighting the fact that listen that is not how we do things this is going to be a new kingdom under God and we are not going to do things remember at the end of judges that everyone did what was right in their own eyes here is David who is making it absolutely clear that is not going to be this kingdom of Israel we're not going to be this loose confederation of tribes who kind of take the law into their own hands we are going to be a united kingdom who are under the law of the Lord. And that's, remember way back that Samuel had said that if you're going to be the king you have to know the law of the Lord. You have to read the law day and night. In fact, David's going to go on to in the Psalms talk about this. Yeah,

Lord how I love your law. I ponder on it day and night and here is an example of David living that way because as These two murderers assassins Rehob and Da'ana come to him. He does not reward them well, I guess he does he rewards their evil deed with by killing them by by taking out justice upon them and Establishing to all the people this is not how we do things in the kingdom That might have been how we did things when there was the loose confederation and their judges and everyone did was right in their own eyes, but not anymore Okay, moving on to first Chronicles. I think I mentioned this before but Chronicles is going to be not only as I said a

Following let's follow David And let's like see here here's how David has lived. Let's see how David prefigures the coming Messiah, the coming anointed one, the coming Christ, but also not only hope for the reestablishment of the kingdom in a reestablishment of the royal throne, but also the reestablishment of temple worship. When first and second Chronicles were written, it's largely believed that this is after the exile and so the people of Israel

have suffered an incredible incredible defeat. They have been exiled, they have the ten tribes of Israel, we're gonna get to that in a little bit. Basically David unites all twelve tribes. Solomon has the united twelve tribes, that united kingdom. But then after Solomon, those 12 tribes divide to 10 tribes in the north, Israel, and two tribes in the south, Judah. That's what they call the 10 in the north are called Israel from then on, and the two tribes in the south, Benjamin and Judah, are called Judah. And yet, this chronicles is written not only after that division, but then also after the destruction of the ten tribes in the north and the exile and return of the two tribes in the south and so what the author of Chronicles is doing is saying

There is a line though. There is a line that of the line of David Judah, right? And there's a line the line of Levi the line of the priesthood So we're gonna follow those families in particular. Because why? Because they're longing for this reestablishment of the kingdom and longing for reestablishment of temple worship into its full. And so that's what we're gonna get.

That's kind of some of the main gist or main thrust of main desire of the author of Chronicles. And we're gonna get to that in a couple days as we get through some more names in the next couple days. But gosh, what a gift to be able to follow, to be able to recognize that God works in time, God works in history. The God of eternity working in history just blows my mind. I think about that all the time. Like man, God, how in the world are you so humble that you made us in love and you continue to keep us in existence out of love and you continue to speak to us and guide us and protect us out of love?

What a gift. Please pray for each other because the God of eternity who's entered into time wants to enter into each and every one of our lives. And so often we need grace. We always need grace, but we need the prayers of each other to help walk in grace. So I'm praying for you. Please pray for me. Please pray for each other. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.