2 Samuel

2 Samuel 4 ©

1 The Israelites are troubled at Abner's death. 2 Baanah and Rechab murder Ish-bosheth, and bring his head to David to Hebron. 9 David causeth them to be put to death, and Ish-bosheth's head to be buried.

1

AND when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, ahis hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

2

And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bbands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the 1other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for cBeeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:

3

And the Beerothites fled to dGittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

4

And Jonathan, Saul's son, had ea son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when fthe tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was 2Mephibosheth.

5

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, gwent, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who hlay on a bed at noon.

6

And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they ismote him under the fifth rib : and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7

For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and jtook his head, and *gat them away through kthe plain all night.

8

And they lbrought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, mBehold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

9

¶And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who nhath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

10

When oone told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, 3thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, 4who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

11

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall pI not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

12

And David commanded his young men, and they qslew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and rhanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it sin the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.