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.

When Saul’s son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed at Hebron, [he realized that he might also be killed]. He became discouraged, and all the Israeli people (trembled/became afraid).

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;

Ishbosheth had two officers who were leaders of groups that raided other villages. [They were brothers; ] their names were Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon from Beeroth [town] in the tribe of Benjamin. Beeroth is in the area that had [been assigned to] the tribe of Benjamin.

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

But the people of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim [town], and they still live there.

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.

Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth. When Mephibosheth was five years old, Saul and Jonathan died in the battle. When people brought that news from Jezreel, Mephibosheth’s nursemaid picked him up and ran away. She ran very fast, with the result that she dropped him, and his legs became crippled.

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;

One day, Rechab and Baanah left [their home] to go to Ishbosheth’s house. They arrived there about noontime, when Ishbosheth was taking his midday nap.

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.

The woman who was the doorkeeper was sifting wheat. While doing that, she became sleepy, and fell asleep. So Rechab and his brother Baanah were able to creep in quietly.

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;

They entered Ishbosheth’s bedroom, where he was sleeping. They killed him [with their swords] and cut off his head. They carried his head and walked all night through the Jordan [River] Valley.

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.

They took the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron. They said to him, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul, who tried to kill you. Your majesty, today Yahweh has allowed you to get revenge on Saul and his descendants!”

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,

But David replied to them, “Yahweh is the one who has rescued me from all my troubles. And just as surely as Yahweh lives, what I am now saying is also true.

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 a messenger came to Ziklag and told me ‘Saul is dead!’ and he thought that the news that he was bringing to me was good news, I seized him and [commanded one of my soldiers to] kill him. That was the reward I gave to him for his news!

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?

So because you two evil men murdered a man who is (innocent/has done nothing wrong) when he was sleeping on his bed in his own house, I will do something worse to you. I will surely [RHQ] get revenge on you two for murdering [MTY] him, and (wipe you/cause you to disappear) 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.

Then, following David’s orders, his soldiers killed the two men, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hung their bodies (OR, their hands and feet) [on a pole] near the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it [respectfully] in the tomb of Abner, there at Hebron.