Who was Baanah in the bible?
Baanah is a name borne by four Israelites, appearing in 2 Samuel 4; 2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:30; Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7; and Nehemiah 10:27.
His Story
Rechab and Baanah went to Ishbosheth’s house at noon and “struck him in the body” (2 Samuel 4:5-6). David said they were “wicked men” and commanded his young men to kill them (2 Samuel 4:11-12).
Learn More →Name and Meaning
Strong’s gloss says Baanah is “the name of four Israelites” and derives from a root sense rendered “in affliction.” The name appears in lists in Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7; and Nehemiah 10:27.
Learn More →Baanah (Ba’anah) is the name of four Israelites in the Bible. One Baanah is named as a captain of raiding bands associated with Saul’s son; another Baanah is named as the father of a man called Heled/Heleb; another appears among those who came with Zerubbabel; and another appears in a list of names in Nehemiah.
Baanah in Scripture
The fullest narrative concerns Baanah the son of Rimmon the Beerothite, identified among “the children of Benjamin.”
“Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands. The name of one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is considered a part of Benjamin:” (2 Samuel 4:2, WEB)
In the same chapter, Rechab and Baanah are described acting together after Saul’s son hears of Abner’s death and “all the Israelites were troubled” (2 Samuel 4:1). The text then says the two men went to Ishbosheth’s house at midday while he rested.
“The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon.” (2 Samuel 4:5, WEB)
The account presents their entry into the house and the attack on Ishbosheth with brief detail, including their escape.
“They came there into the middle of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.” (2 Samuel 4:6, WEB)
The narrative continues by describing Ishbosheth’s death and what they did afterward: “they struck him, killed him, beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night” (2 Samuel 4:7). They then brought the head to David at Hebron, presenting the act as vengeance against Saul’s house (2 Samuel 4:8). David’s reply names Baanah again with his brother, and his words frame their deed as a wrongful killing.
“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,”” (2 Samuel 4:9, WEB)
David then compares their report to a prior case of someone bringing news, and concludes with his judgment that they are “wicked men” who have slain “a righteous person in his own house on his bed” (2 Samuel 4:11). The chapter ends with the punishment David ordered: “David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron” (2 Samuel 4:12). Thus, Baanah the son of Rimmon is presented as a Benjamite Beerothite and a captain of a raiding band, remembered chiefly for his part with Rechab in the killing of Ishbosheth and for the subsequent execution commanded by David.
A different Baanah appears as the father of a man named Heled/Heleb, identified as a Netophathite. In one list of names, Chronicles reads:
“Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,” (1 Chronicles 11:30, WEB)
A parallel list in Samuel gives a similar identification with a slight difference in the son’s name:
“Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,” (2 Samuel 23:29, WEB)
These two citations present Baanah (the Netophathite) only through his relationship to Heled/Heleb, without further description.
Another bearer of the name appears among those who came “with Zerubbabel” in a list of returnees’ leaders or representatives.
“who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” (Ezra 2:2, WEB)
A closely corresponding list in Nehemiah likewise includes the name:
“who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” (Nehemiah 7:7, WEB)
In these passages, Baanah is not further described beyond being included among those who came with Zerubbabel and others named.
A fourth Baanah appears in another list in Nehemiah.
“Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.” (Nehemiah 10:27, WEB)
This verse supplies only the name within a sequence, without additional identifying details.
Multiple Bearers
Scripture presents multiple individuals named Baanah. (1) Baanah the son of Rimmon the Beerothite, “of the children of Benjamin,” is a captain of raiding bands and is narrated in connection with Rechab in the death of Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 4:2, 5–6, 9–12). (2) Baanah the Netophathite is named as the father of “Heled”/“Heleb” (1 Chronicles 11:30; 2 Samuel 23:29). (3) Baanah is listed among those who “came with Zerubbabel” in Ezra and in the parallel list in Nehemiah (Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7). (4) Baanah is listed with “Malluch” and “Harim” (Nehemiah 10:27). These references do not explicitly connect these bearers to one another.
Name and Meaning
The name is written in Hebrew as בַּעֲנָה, transliterated Ba’anah and pronounced bah-an-aw’. The name is derived, according to the lexicon summary, from a derivative of the Hebrew root ‘anah (עָנָה), with a prepositional prefix; the sense given is “in affliction,” with the root carrying the idea “to depress” in a literal or figurative way.
Observation
In the narrative where Baanah is most prominent, the text places his actions and fate within David’s judgment that “wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed” (2 Samuel 4:11), followed by the execution David commanded (2 Samuel 4:12).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Baanah mean?
Baanah means “in affliction.”
How many times does Baanah appear in the Bible?
Baanah occurs 9 times.
Who was Baanah in the Bible?
Baanah is the name of four Israelites. In 2 Samuel 4:2, one Baanah is named as a captain of raiding bands and is a son of Rimmon the Beerothite.
What did Rechab and Baanah do at Ishbosheth’s house?
According to 2 Samuel 4:5–6, Rechab and Baanah went to Ishbosheth’s house at noon, entered “as though they would have fetched wheat,” and struck him in the body.
Explore Further
If you found this page about Baanah interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
