Sarah (USA)
Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, and he lost courage. All Israel became alarmed.
Saul’s son had two commanders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rechab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, from the tribe of Benjamin. Beeroth was considered part of Benjamin.
The Beerothites had fled to Gittaim and had lived there as foreigners to this day.
Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in both feet.
He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
Now Rechab and Baanah went to the house of Ish-bosheth. It was about noon, while he was taking his midday rest.
They went into the house as though they were going to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah escaped. They had killed him, cut off his head, and carried it away. They traveled all night through the Arabah.
They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king:
“Here is the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. Today the LORD has given my lord the king vengeance against Saul and his descendants.”
But David answered Rechab and Baanah:
“As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing me good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!
How much more, when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed, should I not demand his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth?”
Then David commanded his young men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron.
But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.