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2 Samuel 4
Ish-Bosheth Loses Courage
When Saul’s son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands grew weak, and all Israel was alarmed. 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, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, from the children of Benjamin, for Beeroth also was regarded as belonging to Benjamin. The Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have lived there as resident aliens to this day.
Mephibosheth Is Introduced
Jonathan son of Saul had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report concerning Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse carried him and fled, and as she hurried to flee he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
Rechab and Baanah Murder Ish-Bosheth
The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came during the heat of the day to the house of Ish-Bosheth while he was lying down for his midday rest. They came there into the midst of the house as though to get wheat, and they struck him in the belly. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. They entered the house while he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, struck him and put him to death, and cut off his head. They took his head and walked by the way of the Arabah all night. They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Look, the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. The LORD has given my lord the king vengeance this day upon Saul and upon his offspring.”
David Executes the Murderers
David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, when one told me, saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ and he was in his own eyes like one bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his good news. How much more when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed! And now, shall I not seek his blood from your hand and remove you from the earth?” Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner at Hebron.