2 Samuel 4

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

When Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became weak, and all Israel was troubled.

2 And Saul’s son had two men [that were] captains of bands: the name of the one [was] Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:

Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of groups of soldiers. The name of one was Baanah and the other Recab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the people of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin,

3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been living there until this very time).

4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son [that was] lame of [his] feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name [was] Mephibosheth.

Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up to flee. But as she was running, Jonathan's son fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Recab and Baanah, traveled during the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he was resting at noon.

6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, [as though] they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth [rib: ] and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

The woman guarding the door had fallen asleep while sifting wheat, and Recab and Baanah walked in quietly and passed her.

7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.

So after they entered the house, they attacked him and killed him as he was lying on his bed in his room. Then they cut off his head and carried it away, traveling on the road all night to the Arabah.

8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, “Look, this is the head of Ishbosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. Today Yahweh has avenged our master the king against Saul and his descendants.”

9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, [As] the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

David answered Recab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite; he said to them, “As Yahweh lives, who delivered my life from every trouble,

10 When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who [thought] that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

when someone told me, 'Look, Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news.

11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

How much more, when wicked men have killed an innocent person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand, and remove you from the earth?”

12 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged [them] up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried [it] in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

Then David gave orders to the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.