Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Samuel 4:8

8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, thine enemy, which sought thy life ; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed .

i. e. To destroy it, or take it away; as this Phrase is used; 1 Sam. 20. 1. and 23. 15. and elsewhere.

The[illegible: 1+ letters] thought their Action not onely blameless, but Meritorious; because they had but executed Justice upon Saul's House, and David's Enemies, and made way for Davids obtaining of his Rights. It may seem strange, they were not discouraged by David's punishing of the Amalekite for killing Saul, 2 Sam. 1. and by his sharp Reproof of Ioab for Murd ring Abner; but they thought the first Case much differing from theirs, because Saul was Anointed King by God: whereas, Ishbosheth was not, but was a meer Usurper: and for the latter, they thought that David's sharp words proceeded rather from Art and Policy, than from any real dislike of the thing; which they judged, because David contented himself with words, and Ioab did not onely go unpunished, but continued in his former Place and Power.