Kings II 4

1 And Jebosthe the son of Saul heard that Abenner the son of Ner had died in Chebron; and his hands were paralyzed, and all the men of Israel grew faint.

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

2 And Jebosthe the son of Saul had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one [was] Baana, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Remmon the Berothite of the children of Benjamin; for Beroth was reckoned to the children of Benjamin.

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.

3 And the Berothites ran away to Gethaim, and were sojourners there until this day.

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

4 And Jonathan Saul's son [had] a son lame of his feet, five years old, and he was [in the way] when the news of Saul and Jonathan his son came from Jezrael, and his nurse took him up, and fled; and it came to pass as he hasted and retreated, that he fell, and was lamed. And his name [was] Memphibosthe.

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.

5 And Rechab and Baana the sons of Remmon the Berothite went, and they came in the heat of the day into the house of Jebosthe; and he was sleeping on a bed at noon.

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.

6 And, behold, the porter of the house winnowed wheat, and he slumbered and slept: and the brothers Rechab and Baana went privily into the house:

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.

7 And Jebosthe was sleeping on his bed in his chamber: and they strike him, and kill him, and take off his head: and they took his head, and went all the night by the western road.

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.

8 And they brought the head of Jebosthe to David to Chebron, and they said to the king, Behold the head of Jebosthe the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the Lord has executed for my lord the king vengeance on his enemies, as [it is] this day: even on Saul your enemy, and on his seed.

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.”

9 And David answered and Rechab and Baana his brother, the sons of Remmon the Berothite, and said to them, [As] the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all affliction;

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,

10 he that reported to me that Saul was dead, even he was as one bringing glad tidings before me: but I seized him and killed him in Sekelac, to whom I ought, [as he thought], to have given a reward for his tidings.

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.

11 And now evil men have slain a righteous men in his house on his bed: now then I will require his blood of your hand, and I will destroy you from off the earth.

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?”

12 And David commanded his young men, and they kill them, and cut off their hands and their feet; and they hung them up at the fountain in Chebron: and they buried the head of Jebosthe in the tomb of Abenezer the son of Ner.

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.