2 Samuel 4

1 Forsothe Isbosech, the sone of Saul, herde that Abner hadde falde doun in Ebron; and `hise hondis weren discoumfortid, and al Israel was disturblid.

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

2 Forsothe twei men, princes of theues, weren to the sone of Saul; name to oon was Baana, and name to the tother was Rechab, the sones of Remmon Berothite, of the sones of Beniamyn; for also Beroth is arettid in Beniamyn.

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

3 And men of Beroth fledden in to Gethaym; and thei weren comelyngis there `til to that tyme.

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

4 Forsothe a sone feble in feet was to Jonathas, the sone of Saul; forsothe he was fyue yeer eld, whanne the messanger cam fro Saul and Jonathas, fro Jezrael. Therfor his nurse took hym, and fledde; and whanne sche hastide to fle, sche felde doun, and the child was maad lame; and `he hadde a name Myphibosech.

And to Jonathan son of Saul [is] a son — lame; he was a son of five years at the coming in of the rumour of [the death of] Saul and Jonathan, out of Jezreel, and his nurse lifteth him up, and fleeth, and it cometh to pass in her hasting to flee, that he falleth, and becometh lame, and his name [is] Mephibosheth.

5 Therfor Rechab and Baana, sones of Remmon of Beroth, camen, and entriden in the hoot dai in to the hows of Isbosech, that slepte on his bed in myd dai, `and the womman oischer of the hous clensynge wheete, slepte strongli.

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

6 Forsothe thei entriden into the hows pryueli, and token eeris of whete; and Rechab, and Baana, his brother, smytiden Isbosech in the schar, and fledden.

and thither they have come, unto the midst of the house, taking wheat, and they smite him unto the fifth [rib], and Rechab and Baanah his brother have escaped;

7 Sotheli whanne thei hadden entrid in to the hous, he slepte on his bedde in a closet; and thei smytiden and killiden hym; and whanne `his heed was takun, thei yeden bi the weie of deseert in al the nyyt.

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

8 And thei brouyten the heed of Isbosech to Dauid, in Ebron, and thei seiden to the kyng, Lo! the heed of Isbosech, sone of Saul, thin enemy, that souyte thi lijf; and the Lord yaf to dai to oure lord the kyng veniaunce of Saul and of his seed.

and bring in the head of Ish-Bosheth unto David in Hebron, and say unto the king, 'Lo, the head of Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life; and Jehovah doth give to my lord the king vengeance this day, of Saul and of his seed.'

9 Forsothe Dauid answeride to Rechab, and Baana, his brother, the sones of Remmon of Beroth, and seide to hem, The Lord lyueth, that delyueride my lijf fro al angwisch;

And David answereth Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and saith to them, 'Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

10 for Y helde hym that telde to me, and seide, Saul is deed, which man gesside hym silf to telle prosperitees, and Y killide hym in Sichelech, to whom it bihofte me yyue meede for message;

when one is declaring to me, saying, Lo, 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 hou myche more now, whanne wickid men han slayn a giltles man in his hows on his bed, schal I not seke his blood of youre hond, and schal Y do awey you fro erthe?

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

12 Therfor Dauid comaundide to his children, and thei killiden hem; and thei kittiden awei the hondis and `feet of hem, and hangiden hem ouer the cisterne in Ebron. Forsothe thei token the heed of Isbosech, and birieden in the sepulcre of Abner, in Ebron.

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