II Samuel 4

1. And Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron. And his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were 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 was Rechab, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, of the sons of Benjamin. For Beeroth also was counted to Benjamin;

3. And the men of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and were strangers there until this day.

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

5. And the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, Rechab and Baanah, came at the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth. And he was lying on his bed at noon.

6. And they came to the midst of the house, bringing wheat. And they struck him in the belly. And Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7. For when they came into the house, he lay in his bed in his bedroom. And they struck him and killed him, and beheaded him and took his head and got away through the plain all night.

8. And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. And the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed.”

9. And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, and said to them, “As the LORD lives Who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

10. When one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead’—thinking to have brought good news—I took hold of him and slew him in Ziklag. I gave that to him as a reward.

11. Indeed 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?”

12. And David commanded his young men and they killed 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 tomb of Abner in Hebron.