4
1 When
Saul’s son heard
that Abner was
dead in Hebron,
his hands became
feeble, and all
the Israelites
were troubled.
2 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;
3 and
the Beerothites fled
to Gittaim, and
have lived as
foreigners there
until today).
4 Now
Jonathan, Saul’s
son, had a
son who was
lame in his
feet. He was
five years old
when the news
came about Saul
and Jonathan out
of Jezreel; and
his nurse picked
him up and
fled. As she
hurried to flee,
he fell and
became lame. His
name was
Mephibosheth.
5 The
sons of Rimmon
the Beerothite, Rechab
and Baanah, went
out and came
at about the
heat of the
day to the
house of Ishbosheth
as he took his
rest at noon.
6 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.
7 Now
when they came
into the house
as he lay
on his bed
in his bedroom,
they struck him,
killed him,
beheaded him, and
took his head,
and went by
the way of
the Arabah all
night.
8 They
brought the head
of Ishbosheth to
David to Hebron,
and said to the
king, “Behold, the
head of Ishbosheth,
the son of
Saul, your enemy,
who sought your
life! The LORD
has avenged my
lord the king
today of Saul
and of his
offspring.”
9 David
answered Rechab
and Baanah
his brother, the
sons of Rimmon
the Beerothite, and
said to them, “As
the LORD lives,
who has redeemed
my soul out
of all adversity,
10 when
someone told me,
‘Behold, Saul is
dead,’ thinking that
he brought good
news, I seized him
and killed him
in Ziklag, which
was the reward
I gave him
for his news.
11 How
much more, when
wicked men have
slain a righteous
person in his
own house on
his bed, should
I not now
require his blood
from your hand,
and rid the earth
of you?”
12 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. But they
took the head
of Ishbosheth and
buried it
in Abner’s grave
in Hebron.