1. Two opportunists (1-8)

The house of Saul became too weak to lay claim to any part of the kingdom (4). Recab and Baanah were leaders of bandits who had sold their services to Ish-Bosheth. When they realized that Ish-Bosheth's cause was lost, they decided to betray him and get some benefit from David. They treacherously entered his house and murdered him while he was lying on his own bed. They cut off his head and brought it to David, bragging about what they had done. They expected a reward.

2. David's judgment (9-12)

These men made a big mistake about David. David trusted the living God to deliver him from his enemies (9b). He did not seek personal vengeance, no matter how much he had been wronged. He had the two murderers executed, just as he had executed the man who claimed to have killed Saul (10; 1:1-16). David was the shepherd of all the people. Those who had been loyal to Saul had nothing to fear from David.