1 When Ish-Bosheth {Ish-Bosheth: Saul’s son}, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands became weak {yadav: power diminished}, and all Israel {Yisra’el: covenant nation} was alarmed.
2 And two men, commanders {sarei-gedudim: raiding-band leaders} of raiding bands, were with the son of Saul—one was named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, from the sons of Benjamin—for even Beeroth is counted {techashev: reckoned as included} among Benjamin.
3 And the Beerothites {haBeerotim: people of Beeroth} fled to Gittaim and were there sojourners {garim: resident aliens} until this day.
4 And Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son who was lame {nekeh: physically disabled} in his feet. He was five years old when the news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse {omneto: caregiver} carried him and fled, and in her haste to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rekhab and Baanah, went and came in the heat of the day to the house of Ish-Bosheth; he was lying on his bed {mishkav: resting place} at midday {hatsahorayim: noon hour}.
6 And behold they came into the midst of the house as though they were taking wheat{chittim: harvested grain}, and they struck him in the stomach{chomesh: region near the ribs}, and Rekhab and Ba’anah his brother escaped.
7 They entered the house and found him lying on his bed in his sleeping chamber. Then they struck him and killed him, severed his head {rosh: seat of authority} and carried it off. They traveled through the Arabah all night.
8 And they brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The LORD {YHWH, Justice Giver} has given to my lord the king acts of vengeance {nekamot: judicial retribution} this day from Saul and from his offspring.”
9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD {YHWH, Redeemer and Rescuer} lives, who has redeemed {padah: delivered at great cost} my soul from every trouble.”
10 When the one who reported to me, saying, “Behold, Saul is dead”—and he was as a bringer of good news in his own eyes—I seized him and killed him in Ziklag {tsiklag: Philistine town}, which was the reward I gave him for his report {besorah: formal report}.
11 Indeed, when wicked men killed a righteous man {tsaddiq: morally upright} in his own house and on his bed, surely now I will seek his blood {dam: life-essence} from your hand and will purge you from the earth.
12 Then David {David: Anointed King} commanded the young men, they killed them, cut off their hands {yedeihem: Instruments of Action} and feet, and hung them by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.