Isboseth is murdered by two of his servants. David punisheth the
murderers.
4:1. And Isboseth the son of Saul heard that Abner was slain in Hebron:
and his hands were weakened, and all Israel was troubled.
4:2. Now the son of Saul had two men captains of his bands, the name of
the one was Baana, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Remmon
a Berothite of the children of Benjamin: for Beroth also was reckoned in
Benjamin.
4:3. And the Berothites fled into Gethaim, and were sojourners there
until that time.
4:4. And Jonathan the son of Saul had a son that was lame of his feet:
for he was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan
from Jezrahel. And his nurse took him up and fled: and as she made haste
to flee, he fell and became lame: and his name was Miphiboseth.
4:5. And the sons of Remmon the Berothite, Rechab and Baana coming, went
into the house of Isboseth in the heat of the day: and he was sleeping
upon his bed at noon. And the doorkeeper of the house, who was cleansing
wheat, was fallen asleep.
4:6. And they entered into the house secretly taking ears of corn, and
Rechab and Baana his brother stabbed him in the groin, and fled away.
4:7. For when they came into the house, he was sleeping upon his bed in
a parlour, and they struck him and killed him and taking away his head
they went off by the way of the wilderness, walking all night.
4:8. And they brought the head of Isboseth to David to Hebron: and they
said to the king: Behold the head of Isboseth the son of Saul thy enemy
who sought thy life: and the Lord hath revenged my lord the king this
day of Saul, and of his seed.
4:9. But David answered Rechab, and Baana his brother, the sons of
Remmon the Berothite, and said to them: As the Lord liveth, who hath
delivered my soul out of all distress,
4:10. The man that told me, and said: Saul is dead, who thought he
brought good tidings, I apprehended, and slew him in Siceleg, who should
have been rewarded for his news.
4:11. How much more now when wicked men have slain an innocent man in
his own house, upon his bed, shall I not require his blood at your hand,
and take you away from the earth?
4:12. And David commanded his servants and they slew them: and cutting
off their hands and feet, hanged them up over the pool in Hebron: but
the head of Isboseth they took and buried in the sepulchre of Abner in
Hebron.