1When Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands grew weak, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands. One was named Baanah, and the other Rechab. They were the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, of the children of Benjamin. (Beeroth was also counted as part of Benjamin,
3and the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, and have lived there as strangers to this day.)
4Jonathan, 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. As she hurried away, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
5Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, set out and came to the house of Ishbosheth about the hottest part of the day, while he was lying on a bed at noon.
6They came into the middle of the house, as though they were fetching wheat, and they struck him under the fifth rib. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.
7When they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They struck him and killed him, and cut off his head. They took his head and travelled through the plain all night.
8They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, "Look, here is the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to take your life. Today the LORD has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and on his offspring."
9But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth. He said to them, "As the LORD lives, who has rescued me out of all trouble,"
10when a man told me, 'Look, Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing good news, I took hold of him and killed him in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news.
11"How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his own bed? Should I not now demand his blood from your hands, and remove you from the earth?"