Chapter 4

¹ And Ish-bosheth the son of Saul heard that Abner the son of Ner had died in Hebron; and his hands were paralyzed, and all the men of Israel grew faint. ² And Ish-bosheth the son of Saul had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one [was] Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the children of Benjamin; for Beeroth was reckoned to the children of Benjamin. ³ And the Beerothites ran away to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.

2Kgdms 4:1-3

⁴ And Jonathan Saul’s son [had] a son lame of his feet, five years old, and he was [in the way] when the news of Saul and Jonathan his son came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled; and it came to pass as he hastened and retreated, that he fell, and was lamed. And his name [was] Mephibosheth.

2Kgdms 4:4

⁵ And Rechab and Baanah the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite went, and they came in the heat of the day into the house of Ish-bosheth; and he was sleeping on a bed at noon. ⁶ And, behold, the porter of the house winnowed wheat, and he slumbered and slept: and the brothers Rechab and Baanah went privily into the house: ⁷ and Ish-bosheth was sleeping on his bed in his chamber: and they smite him, and slay him, and take off his head: and they took his head, and went all the night by the western road.

2Kgdms 4:5-7

⁸ And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David to Hebron, and they said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thy enemy, who sought thy life; and the Lord has executed for my lord the king vengeance on his enemies, as [it is] this day: even on Saul thy enemy, and on his seed.

2Kgdms 4:8

⁹ And 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 affliction; ¹⁰ he that reported to me that Saul was dead, even he was as one bringing glad tidings before me: but I seized him and slew him in Ziklag, to whom I ought, [as he thought], to have given a reward for his tidings. ¹¹ And now evil men have slain a righteous man in his house on his bed: now then I will require his blood of your hand, and I will destroy you from off the earth. ¹² And David commanded his young men, and they slay them, and cut off their hands and their feet; and they hung them up at the fountain in Hebron: and they buried the head of Ish-bosheth in the tomb of Abner the son of Ner.

2Kgdms 4:9-12