2 Samuel 4

1 Now when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed.

Now, when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands became feeble, —and, all Israel, were dismayed.

2 Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding parties. One was named Baanah and the other Rechab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin,

And two men, captains of bands, pertained to Ish-bosheth son of Saul—the name of the one, was Baanah, and, the name of the other, Rechab—sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin, —for, even Beeroth, used to be reckoned unto Benjamin;

3 because the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have lived there as foreigners to this day.

and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, —and have been sojourners there, until this day.

4 And Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

And, Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son, lame of his feet, —five years old, was he, when tidings came in of Saul and Jonathan from Jezreel, so his nurse took him up, and fled, and it came to pass, when she started up to flee, that he fell and was lamed, and, his name, was, Mephibosheth.

5 Now Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while the king was taking his midday nap.

So then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, took their journey and came in, about the heat of the day, unto the house of Ish-bosheth, —when, he, was lying on his noonday couch;

6 They entered the interior of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped away.

and, thither, entered they as fro as the middle of the house, to fetch wheat, and they smote him in the belly, —and, Rechab and Baanah his brother, escaped.

7 They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed, and having stabbed and killed him, they beheaded him, took his head, and traveled all night by way of the Arabah.

Thus they entered the house when, he, was lying on his bed, in his sleeping-chamber, and smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, —and took his head, and journeyed by way of the waste plain all the night;

8 They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. Today the LORD has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

and brought in the head of Ish-bosheth unto David, at Hebron, and said unto the king, Lo! the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life: so hath Yahweh given to my lord the king, avengement this day, on Saul and on his seed.

9 But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,

Then David responded to Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, —By the life of Yahweh, who hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

10 when someone told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was a bearer of good news, I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag. That was his reward for his news!

when he that brought tidings to me, saying, Lo! Saul is dead, though, he, was as one that bringeth good tidings, in his own eyes, yet I seized him, and slew him in Ziklag, —which was how I gave him reward for his tidings:

11 How much more, when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house and on his own bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth!”

how much more, when, lawless men, have slain a righteous person, in his own house, upon his bed? …Now, therefore, must I not require his blood at your hands, and so consume you, out of the earth?

12 So David commanded his young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.

David therefore commanded the young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands, and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool, in Hebron, —but, the head of Ish-bosheth, took they, and buried in the grave of Abner, in Hebron.