1 L uego que el hijo de Saúl supo que Abner había muerto en Hebrón, las manos se le debilitaron, y todo Israel se sintió atemorizado.

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

2 C on el hijo de Saúl estaban dos hombres, capitanes de bandas de salteadores; el nombre de uno era Baana, y el del otro, Recab, hijos de Rimón, el beerotita, de los hijos de Benjamín (porque Beerot era también contado con Benjamín,

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 p ues los beerotitas habían huido a Gitaim, y viven allí como forasteros hasta hoy).

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

4 J onatán hijo de Saúl tenía un hijo lisiado de los pies. Tenía cinco años de edad cuando llegó de Jezreel la noticia de la muerte de Saúl y de Jonatán; su nodriza lo tomó y huyó, pero mientras huía apresuradamente, se le cayó el niño y quedó cojo. Su nombre era Mefi-boset.

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 L os hijos de Rimón beerotita, Recab y Baana, se pusieron en camino, y a la hora de más calor, entraron en casa de Is-boset, que estaba durmiendo la siesta en su alcoba.

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 L a portera de la casa se había quedado dormida mientras estaba limpiando el trigo; y fue así como Recab y Baana, su hermano, se introdujeron en la casa.

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 C uando entraron en la casa, Is-boset dormía sobre su lecho en la alcoba; lo hirieron y lo mataron; luego le cortaron la cabeza y tomándola caminaron toda la noche por el camino del Arabá.

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 L levaron la cabeza de Is-boset a David en Hebrón, y le dijeron al rey: —Aquí tienes la cabeza de Is-boset hijo de Saúl, tu enemigo, que procuraba matarte. Jehová ha vengado hoy a mi señor, el rey, de Saúl y de su linaje.

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 D avid respondió a Recab y a su hermano Baana, hijos de Rimón beerotita, y les dijo: —¡Vive Jehová!, que ha redimido mi alma de toda angustia.

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 A l que me dio la noticia de que Saúl había muerto, imaginándose que traía buenas noticias, yo lo prendí y lo maté en Siclag, como pago por esa noticia.

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 ¿ Cuánto más a los malos hombres que mataron a un hombre justo en su casa y sobre su cama? Ahora, pues, ¿no he de demandar yo su sangre de vuestras manos, y quitaros de la tierra?

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 E ntonces David dio una orden a sus servidores, que los mataron, les cortaron las manos y los pies y los colgaron junto al estanque de Hebrón. Luego tomaron la cabeza de Is-boset, y la enterraron en el sepulcro de Abner, en Hebrón.

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.