The Second Book of Samuel

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- Chapter 4 -

Then Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, heard that Abner had fallen in Hebron. And his hands were weakened, and all of Israel was troubled.

Now the son of Saul had two men, leaders among robbers. The name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other was Rechab, sons of Rimmon, a Beerothite from the sons of Benjamin. For indeed, Beeroth, too, was reputed with Benjamin.

And the Beerothites had fled into Gittaim. And they were strangers there, until that time.

Now Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son with disabled feet. For he was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. And so, his nurse, taking him up, fled. And while she was hurrying, so that she might flee, he fell and was made lame. And he was called Mephibosheth.

And so, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, arrived and entered the house of Ishbosheth, in the heat of the day. And he was sleeping on his bed at midday. And the doorkeeper of the house, who was cleaning the wheat, fell fast asleep.

Then they entered the house secretly, taking the ears of grain. And Rechab and his brother Baanah stabbed him in the groin, and they fled away.

For when they had entered the house, he was sleeping on his bed in a closed room. And striking him, they killed him. And taking his head, they departed by the way of the desert, walking throughout the night.

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David in Hebron. And they said to the king: “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who was seeking your life. And so, the Lord has avenged my lord the king, this day, from Saul and from his offspring.”

The Execution of Rechab and Baanah

But David, responding to Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, said to them: “As the Lord lives who has rescued my soul from all distress,

the one who reported to me and said, ‘Saul is dead,’ who was thinking that he announced good news, I apprehended. And at Ziklag I killed him who ought to have been given a reward for the news.

How much more so now, when impious men have put to death an innocent man in his own house, upon his bed, shall I not require his blood from your hand, and take you away from the earth?”

And so, David commanded his servants, and they put them to death. And cutting off their hands and feet, they suspended them up over the pool in Hebron. But the head of Ishbosheth they took and buried in the sepulcher of Abner at Hebron.

When Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is considered a part of Benjamin;

and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until today).

Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news came about Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse picked him up and fled. As she hurried to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth as he took his rest at noon.

They came there into the middle of the house as though they would have fetched wheat, and they struck him in the body; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

Now when they came into the house as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him, killed him, beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.

They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! The LORD has avenged my lord the king today of Saul and of his offspring.(a)”

The Execution of Rechab and Baanah

David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

when someone told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ thinking that he brought 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 slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand, and rid the earth of you?”

David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in Abner’s grave in Hebron.

Footnotes

(a)4:8 or, seed