2 Samuel 4

1 Then Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, heard that Abner had fallen in Hebron. And his hands were weakened, and all of Israel was troubled.

When Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became weak, and all Israel was troubled.

2 Now the son of Saul had two men, leaders among robbers. The name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other was Rechab, sons of Rimmon, a Beerothite from the sons of Benjamin. For indeed, Beeroth, too, was reputed with Benjamin.

Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of groups of soldiers. The name of one was Baanah and the other Recab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the people of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin,

3 And the Beerothites had fled into Gittaim. And they were strangers there, until that time.

and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been living there until this very time).

4 Now Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son with disabled feet. For he was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. And so, his nurse, taking him up, fled. And while she was hurrying, so that she might flee, he fell and was made lame. And he was called Mephibosheth.

Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up to flee. But as she was running, Jonathan's son fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

5 And so, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, arrived and entered the house of Ishbosheth, in the heat of the day. And he was sleeping on his bed at midday. And the doorkeeper of the house, who was cleaning the wheat, fell fast asleep.

So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Recab and Baanah, traveled during the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he was resting at noon.

6 Then they entered the house secretly, taking the ears of grain. And Rechab and his brother Baanah stabbed him in the groin, and they fled away.

The woman guarding the door had fallen asleep while sifting wheat, and Recab and Baanah walked in quietly and passed her.

7 For when they had entered the house, he was sleeping on his bed in a closed room. And striking him, they killed him. And taking his head, they departed by the way of the desert, walking throughout the night.

So after they entered the house, they attacked him and killed him as he was lying on his bed in his room. Then they cut off his head and carried it away, traveling on the road all night to the Arabah.

8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David in Hebron. And they said to the king: “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who was seeking your life. And so, the Lord has avenged my lord the king, this day, from Saul and from his offspring.”

They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, “Look, this is the head of Ishbosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. Today Yahweh has avenged our master the king against Saul and his descendants.”

9 But David, responding to Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, said to them: “As the Lord lives who has rescued my soul from all distress,

David answered Recab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite; he said to them, “As Yahweh lives, who delivered my life from every trouble,

10 the one who reported to me and said, ‘Saul is dead,’ who was thinking that he announced good news, I apprehended. And at Ziklag I killed him who ought to have been given a reward for the news.

when someone told me, 'Look, Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news.

11 How much more so now, when impious men have put to death an innocent man in his own house, upon his bed, shall I not require his blood from your hand, and take you away from the earth?”

How much more, when wicked men have killed an innocent person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand, and remove you from the earth?”

12 And so, David commanded his servants, and they put them to death. And cutting off their hands and feet, they suspended them up over the pool in Hebron. But the head of Ishbosheth they took and buried in the sepulcher of Abner at Hebron.

Then David gave orders to the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.