Ish-Bosheth Murdered
1
When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron,
he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.
2
Now Saul's son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands.
One was names Baanah and the other Recab; they were sons of Rimmon
the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin - Beeroth is considered
part of Benjamin,
3
because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have lived there as aliens
to this day.
4
(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old
when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked
him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and becme crippled.
His name was Mephibosheth.)
5
Now Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of
Ish-Bosheth, and they arriver there in the heat of the day while he was taking his
noonday rest.
6
They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed
him in the stomach. Then Recab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
7
They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom.
After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head.
Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah.
8
They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king,
"Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to take
your life. This day the LORD has avenged my lord the king against Saul
and his offspring."
9
David answered Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite,
"As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of all trouble,
10
when a man told me, 'Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news,
I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag.
That was the reward I gave him for his news!
11
How much more - when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house
and on his own bed - should I not now demand the blood from your hand
and rid the earth of you!"
12
So David gave order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands
and fee and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of
Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron.
