2 Samuel 4

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

And the son of Saul hears that Abner [is] dead in Hebron, and his hands are feeble, and all of Israel has been troubled.

2 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;

And two men, heads of troops, have been [to] the son of Saul, the name of the first [is] Baanah, and the name of the second Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin, for Beeroth is also reckoned to Benjamin,

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

and the Beerothites flee to Gittaim, and are sojourners there to this day.

4 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.

And to Jonathan son of Saul [is] a son—lame; he was a son of five years at the coming in of the rumor of [the death of] Saul and Jonathan, out of Jezreel, and his nurse lifts him up, and flees, and it comes to pass in her hastening to flee, that he falls, and becomes lame, and his name [is] Mephibosheth.

5 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;

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, go, and come in at the heat of the day to the house of Ish-Bosheth, and he is lying down—the lying down of noon;

6 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.

and they have come there, to the midst of the house, taking wheat, and they strike him to the fifth [rib], and Rechab and his brother Baanah have escaped;

7 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;

indeed, they come into the house, and he is lying on his bed, in the inner part of his bed-chamber, and they strike him, and put him to death, and turn his head aside, and they take his head, and go the way of the plain all the night,

8 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.

and bring in the head of Ish-Bosheth to David in Hebron, and say to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; and YHWH gives vengeance to my lord the king this day, of Saul and of his seed.”

9 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,

And David answers Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and says to them, “YHWH lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

10 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:

when one is declaring to me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, and he was as a bearer of tidings in his own eyes, then I take hold on him, and slay him in Ziklag, instead of my giving to him [for] the tidings.

11 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?

Also—when wicked men have slain the righteous man in his own house, on his bed; and now, do I not require his blood from your hand, and have taken you away from the earth?”

12 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.

And David commands the young men, and they slay them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hang [them] over the pool in Hebron, and they have taken the head of Ish-Bosheth, and bury [it] in the burying-place of Abner in Hebron.