שמואל ב, פרק ד׳, פסוק ה׳

The assassination of Ish-bosheth was a bold and calculated event, planned around the king's daily routine and the busy activity of his household. The brothers Rechab and Baanah returned from Gath, disguised themselves to hide their identities, and headed straight for the king's home [מצודת דוד]. They did not wait for the cover of darkness. Instead, they arrived in broad daylight, right at the heat of midday when the sun was at its strongest [מצודת ציון]. Their confidence to act so openly stemmed from their past connection to the king's household. Because they used to work there, they knew his daily schedule perfectly and knew exactly when he would be asleep [מלבי״ם].

At that very hour, Ish-bosheth was taking his daily afternoon nap [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This midday rest was not simply a random moment of fatigue, but a standard and expected practice among royalty, often referred to as the "sleep of kings" [רד״ק]. To slip inside the house without raising any suspicion, the brothers used a clever distraction. They blended into a crowd of people who had come to the property to buy wheat. Hidden by the noise and movement of these buyers, the two men successfully reached the sleeping king, struck him, and made their escape [רלב״ג, אלשיך, אברבנאל].