Now when 1Ish-bosheth, Saul's son
, heard
that aAbner
had died
in Hebron
, 2 bhe lost
courage
, and all
Israel
was disturbed
.
Saul's son
had two
men
who were commanders
of bands
: 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 aBeeroth
is also
considered
bpart of Benjamin
,
and the Beerothites fled
to aGittaim
and have been
aliens
there
until
this
day
).
Now aJonathan, Saul's
son
, had a son
crippled
in his feet
. He was five
years
old
when the breport
of Saul
and Jonathan
came
from Jezreel
, and his nurse
took
him up and fled
. And it happened
that in her hurry
to flee
, he fell
and became
lame
. And his name
was 1 cMephibosheth
.
So the sons of Rimmon
the Beerothite
, Rechab
and Baanah
, departed
and came
to the house
of aIsh-bosheth
in the heat
of the day
while he was taking
his midday
rest
.
1They came to the middle
of the house
as 2if to get
wheat
, and athey struck
him in the belly
; and Rechab
and Baanah
his brother
escaped
.
Now when they came into the house
, as he was lying
on his bed
in his bedroom
, they struck
him and killed
him and beheaded
him. And they took
his head
and 1 atraveled
by way
of the Arabah
all
night
.
Then they brought the head
of Ish-bosheth
to David
at Hebron
and said
to the king
, "Behold
, the head
of Ish-bosheth
athe son
of Saul
, your enemy
, who
sought
your life
; thus the LORD
has given
my lord
the king
vengeance
this
day
on Saul
and his 1descendants
."
David answered
Rechab
and Baanah
his brother
, sons
of Rimmon
the Beerothite
, and said
to them, "As the LORD
lives
, awho
has redeemed
my life
from all
distress
,
awhen one told
me, saying
, `Behold
, Saul
is dead
,' and 1thought
he was bringing
good news
, I seized
him and killed
him in Ziklag
, which
was the reward
I gave
him for his news
.
"How much
more
, when
wicked
men
have killed
a righteous
man
in his own house
on his bed
, shall I not now
arequire
his blood
from your hand
and 1destroy
you from the earth
?"
Then aDavid commanded
the young
men
, and they killed
them and cut
off
their hands
and feet
and hung
them up beside
the pool
in Hebron
. But they took
the head
of Ish-bosheth
band buried
it in the grave
of Abner
in Hebron
.