2 Samuel 4
1 And Jebosthe the son of Saul heard
that Abenner the son of Ner had died in Chebron; and his hands were paralysed,
and all the men of Israel grew faint.
2 And Jebosthe the son of Saul had two
men that were captains of bands: the name of the one
was Baana, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of
Remmon the Berothite of the children of Benjamin; for Beroth was reckoned to
the children of Benjamin. 3 And the
Berothites ran away to Gethaim, and were sojourners there until this day.
4 And Jonathan Saul's son
had a son lame of his feet, five years old, and he
was in the way when the news of Saul and Jonathan his
son came from Jezrael, and his nurse took him up, and fled; and it came to
pass as he hasted and retreated, that he fell, and was lamed. And his name
was Memphibosthe.
5 And Rechab and Baana the sons of
Remmon the Berothite went, and they came in the heat of the day into the house
of Jebosthe; and he was sleeping on a bed at noon.
6 And, behold, the porter of the house
winnowed wheat, and he slumbered and slept: and the brothers Rechab and Baana
went privily into the house: 7 and
Jebosthe was sleeping on his bed in his chamber: and they smite him, and slay
him, and take off his head: and they took his head, and went all the night by
the western road.
8 And they brought the head of
Jebosthe to David to Chebron, and they said to the king, Behold the head of
Jebosthe the son of Saul thy enemy, who sought thy life; and the Lord has
aGr. given.executed for my lord the king vengeance on his enemies, as
it is this day: even on Saul thy enemy, and on his
seed.
9 And David answered Rechab and Baana
his brother, the sons of Remmon the Berothite, and said to them,
As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of
all affliction; 10 he that reported
to me that Saul was dead, even he was as one bringing glad tidings before me:
but I seized him and slew him in Sekelac, to whom I ought,
as he thought, to have given a reward for his
tidings. 11 And now evil men have
slain a righteous man in his house on his bed: now then I will require his
blood of your hand, and I will destroy you from off the earth.
12 And David commanded his young men,
and they slay them, and cut off their hands and their feet; and they hung them
up at the fountain in Chebron: and they buried the head of Jebosthe in the
tomb of Abenner the son of Ner.