Baanah

Baanah is a name borne by four men in the Hebrew scriptures: an assassin in the household guard of Saul's son Ishbosheth, the father of one of David's mighty men, a leader who returned from the exile with Zerubbabel, and the father of one of Solomon's district officers. The same Hebrew name surfaces across four very different settings — a treacherous murder, a roll of warriors, a list of returnees, and a provincial administration.

Captain in Ishbosheth's Guard

Two of Ishbosheth's military officers shared a Benjaminite home town and a single act of treachery. "And Ishbosheth, Saul's son, had two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:" (2Sa 4:2).

The murder follows the rhythm of an ordinary household errand. "And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon" (2Sa 4:5). They walk in under the pretext of fetching grain: "And, look, they came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped" (2Sa 4:6).

Baanah and Rechab then carry the head of Saul's son to Hebron, expecting reward. They frame the killing as the LORD's vengeance: "And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Look, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your soul; and Yahweh has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed" (2Sa 4:8).

David's response opens with an oath that turns the assassins' theology back on them: "And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity," (2Sa 4:9). The verse anchors David's refusal of the deed; he names the same Yahweh whom the assassins had invoked, and binds his own life to that name rather than to their gift.

Father of a Mighty Man

A second Baanah appears in David's roster of mighty men, identified as the father of a Netophathite warrior. The list of David's heroes records "Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin," (2Sa 23:29). The parallel chronicle text spells the son's name slightly differently while keeping the patronymic intact: "Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite," (1Ch 11:30).

Leader of the Return

A third Baanah is named among the chief men who returned from exile with Zerubbabel. Ezra's list opens with the company of leaders: "who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. \p The number of the men of the people of Israel:" (Ezr 2:2). Nehemiah's parallel register records the same return with a slightly varied roll of names, again ending with Baanah: "who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. \p The number of the men of the people of Israel:" (Ne 7:7).

The same name returns when the post-exilic community seals its covenant under Nehemiah. The list of those who set their names to the agreement closes a section with three names together: "Malluch, Harim, Baanah." (Ne 10:27).

Father of a Solomonic Officer

A fourth Baanah — spelled Baana in Solomon's register — is the father of one of the twelve officers who provisioned the king's household. The relevant entry reads: "Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;" (1Ki 4:16).