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

When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost his strength of heart. All Israel was troubled.

2 A nd 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.

Saul’s son had two men who were captains of small armies. The name of one was Baanah, and the name of the other was Rechab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of Benjamin. (For Beeroth is thought of as part of Benjamin.

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

The people of Beeroth ran to Gittaim, and have been strangers there to this day.)

4 A nd 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 Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who could not walk because of his feet. He was five years old when the news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse had picked him up and ran. In her hurry to get away, he fell and hurt his feet so he could not walk. His name was Mephibosheth.

5 A nd the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, left and came to the family of Ish-bosheth. It was during the heat of the day, while Ish-bosheth was taking his noon rest.

6 A nd 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.

They came to the center of the house as if to get wheat, and they hit Ish-bosheth in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah ran away.

7 F or 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.

They had come into the house while he was lying on his bed in his room. And they had hit him and killed him and cut off his head. They took his head and traveled by the way of Arabah all night.

8 A nd they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth 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.

Then they brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “See, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, who hated you and tried to kill you. So this day the Lord has punished Saul and his children for the king.”

9 A nd 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 Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite. He said to them, “As the Lord lives, Who has saved my life from all trouble,

10 W hen 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 one told me, ‘See, Saul is dead,’ he thought he was bringing good news. But I took hold of him and killed him in Ziklag. This was the reward I gave him for his news.

11 H ow 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 worse it is when sinful men have killed a man who is right and good, on his bed in his own house! Should I not now punish you for his blood and destroy you from the earth?”

12 A nd 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 Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

Then David had the young men kill them and cut off their hands and feet. They hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner’s grave in Hebron.