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And when Ben Sha’ul [Ish-Boshet] heard that Avner was dead in Chevron, his hands fell limp; kol Yisroel became alarmed.

And Ben Sha’ul had two anashim that were sarei gedudim (captains of raiding parties); the shem of the one was Ba’anah, and the shem of the other Rechav; these were the Bnei Rimmon HaBe’eroti, of the Bnei Binyamin: (for [the town of] Be’erot was reckoned as part of Binyamin.

And the Be’eroti fled to Gittayim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

And Yonatan Ben Sha’ul had a ben that was nekheh raglayim (lame in both feet). He was five years old when the news came of Sha’ul and Yonatan from Yizre’el (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 shmo Mephivoshet.

And the Bnei Rimmon HaBe’eroti, Rechav and Baanah, went, and came about chom hayom (the heat of the day) to the bais Ish-Boshet, who lay on a bed at tzahorayim (noon).

And they came into the midst of the bais, as though they would have been getting chittim; and they stabbed him under the fifth rib; and Rechav and Baanah achiv (his brother) escaped.

For when they had gone into the bais, he lay on his mittah (bed) in his chedar mishkav (bedroom), and they stabbed him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his rosh, and got away through the derech HaAravah kol halailah.

And they brought the rosh Ish-Boshet unto Dovid at Chevron, and said to HaMelech, Hinei the rosh Ish-Boshet Ben Sha’ul thine oyev (enemy), which sought thy nefesh; and Hashem hath given nekamot (vengeance) against Shaul unto adoni HaMelech this day, and of his zera.

And Dovid answered Rechav and Baanah achiv, the Bnei Rimmon HaBe’eroti, and said unto them, As Hashem liveth, who hath padah (ransomed, redeemed) my nefesh out of kol tzarah,

10 When one told me, saying, Hinei, Sha’ul is dead, thinking he was like mevaser (one who brings glad tidings, good news, evangelist), I took hold of him, and slaughtered him in Tziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his besorah (good news);

11 How much more, when anashim resh’im have slain an ish tzaddik in his own bais upon his mishkav (bed)? Shall I not therefore now require his dahm of your yad, and take you away from HaAretz?

12 And Dovid commanded his ne’arim (young men), and they slaughtered them, and cut off their yadayim and their raglayim, and hung them up over the berekhah (pool) in Chevron. But they took the rosh Ish-Boshet, and buried it in the kever of Avner in Chevron.

Ish-Bosheth Murdered

When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner(A) had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth(B) is considered part of Benjamin, because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim(C) and have resided there as foreigners to this day.

(Jonathan(D) son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news(E) about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled.(F) His name was Mephibosheth.)(G)

Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth,(H) and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.(I) They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed(J) him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.

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.(K) They brought the head(L) of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul,(M) your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged(N) my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered(O) me out of every trouble, 10 when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag.(P) 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 his blood(Q) from your hand and rid the earth of you!”

12 So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them.(R) They cut off their hands and feet 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.