2 Samuel 4

1And Isboseth the son of Saul heard that Abner was slain in Hebron: and his hands were weakened, and all Israel was troubled.

2Now the son of Saul had two men captains of his bands, the name of the one was Baana, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Remmon a Berothite of the children of Benjamin: for Beroth also was reckoned in Benjamin.

3And the Berothites fled into Gethaim, and were sojourners there until that time.

4And Jonathan the son of Saul bad a son that was lame of his feet: for he was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan from Jezrahel. And his nurse took him up and fled: and as she made haste to flee, he fell and became lame: and his name was Miphiboseth.

5And the sons of Remmon the Berothite, Rechab and Baana coming, went into the house of Isboseth in the heat of the day: and he was sleeping upon his bed at noon. And the doorkeeper of the house, who was cleansing wheat, was fallen asleep.

6And they entered into the house secretly taking ears of corn, and Rechab and Baana his brother stabbed him in the groin, and fled away.

7For when they came into the house, be was sleeping upon his bed in a parlour, and they struck him and killed him: and taking away his head they went off by the way of the wilderness, walking all night.

8And they brought the head of Isboseth to David to Hebron: and they said to the king: Behold the head of Isboseth the son of Saul thy enemy who sought thy life: and the Lord hath revenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

9But David answered Rechab, and Baana his brother, the sons of Remmon the Berothite, and said to them: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress,

10The man that told me, and said: Saul is dead, who thought he brought good tidings, I apprehended, and slew him in Siceleg, who should have been rewarded for his news.

11How much more now when wicked men have slain an innocent man in his own house, upon his bed, shall I not require his blood at your hand, and take you away from the earth?

12And David commanded his servants and they slew them: and cutting off their hands and feet, hanged them up over the pool in Hebron: but the head of Isboseth they took and buried in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

1Audivit autem Isboseth filius Saul quod cecidisset Abner in Hebron: et dissolutæ sunt manus ejus, omnisque Israël perturbatus est.

2Duo autem viri principes latronum erant filio Saul, nomen uni Baana, et nomen alteri Rechab, filii Remmon Berothitæ de filiis Benjamin: siquidem et Beroth reputata est in Benjamin.

3Et fugerunt Berothitæ in Gethaim, fueruntque ibi advenæ usque ad tempus illud.

4Erat autem Jonathæ filio Saul filius debilis pedibus: quinquennis enim fuit, quando venit nuntius de Saul et Jonatha ex Jezrahel. Tollens itaque eum nutrix sua, fugit: cumque festinaret ut fugeret, cecidit, et claudus effectus est: habuitque vocabulum Miphiboseth.

5Venientes igitur filii Remmon Berothitæ, Rechab et Baana, ingressi sunt fervente die domum Isboseth: qui dormiebat super stratum suum meridie. Et ostiaria domus purgans triticum, obdormivit.

6Ingressi sunt autem domum latenter assumentes spicas tritici, et percusserunt eum in inguine Rechab, et Baana frater ejus, et fugerunt.

7Cum autem ingressi fuissent domum, ille dormiebat super lectum suum in conclavi, et percutientes interfecerunt eum: sublatoque capite ejus, abierunt per viam deserti tota nocte,

8et attulerunt caput Isboseth ad David in Hebron: dixeruntque ad regem: Ecce caput Isboseth filii Saul inimici tui, qui quærebat animam tuam: et dedit Dominus domino meo regi ultionem hodie de Saul, et de semine ejus.

9Respondens autem David Rechab, et Baana fratri ejus, filiis Remmon Berothitæ, dixit ad eos: Vivit Dominus, qui eruit animam meam de omni angustia,

10quoniam eum qui annuntiaverat mihi, et dixerat: Mortuus est Saul: qui putabat se prospera nuntiare, tenui, et occidi eum in Siceleg, cui oportebat mercedem dare pro nuntio.

11Quanto magis nunc cum homines impii interfecerunt virum innoxium in domo sua, super lectum suum, non quæram sanguinem ejus de manu vestra, et auferam vos de terra?

12Præcepit itaque David pueris suis, et interfecerunt eos: præcidentesque manus et pedes eorum, suspenderunt eos super piscinam in Hebron: caput autem Isboseth tulerunt, et sepelierunt in sepulchro Abner in Hebron.

1Then Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, heard that Abner had fallen in Hebron. And his hands were weakened, and all of Israel was troubled.

2Now 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.

3And the Beerothites had fled into Gittaim. And they were strangers there, until that time.

4Now 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.

5And 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.

6Then 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.

7For 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.

8And 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.”

9But 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,

10the 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.

11How 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?”

12And 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.