2 Samuel 4

They Brought a Head and Expected a Reward

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Rechab and Baanah, Leaders of Bands

4:1When Mephibosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands grew weak, and all Israel’s men lost heart.

4:2Mephibosheth son of Saul had two men who led bands. One was named Baanah, and the second Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, from the sons of Benjamin, for Beeroth was counted as belonging to Benjamin’s sons.

4:3The Beerothites had escaped to Gittaim and remained there as resident aliens to this day.

4:4Jonathan son of Saul had a son whose feet had been injured. He was five years old when news of Saul and Jonathan his son came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled. As she hurried and withdrew, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

The Murder of Mephibosheth

4:5The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and entered Mephibosheth’s house in the heat of the day. He was sleeping in bed at midday.

4:6Look, the woman keeping the house’s door was cleaning wheat. She became drowsy and fell asleep, and the brothers Rechab and Baanah slipped past unnoticed.

4:7They entered the house while Mephibosheth was sleeping on his bed in his bedchamber. They struck him, killed him, and removed his head. They took his head and went by the westward road all night.

4:8They brought Mephibosheth’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Look, the head of Mephibosheth son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life! The Lord has given the lord king vengeance upon his enemies, as on this day, upon Saul your enemy and his offspring.”

David Avenges the Blood

4:9David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord lives, who redeemed my life from every distress,

4:10the one who reported to me that Saul had died was like a bearer of good news before me, and I seized him and killed him in Ziklag—the one to whom I was supposed to give a reward for good news!

4:11And now wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house, on his bed! Now I will require his blood from your hands and destroy you from the earth.”

4:12David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hung them beside the spring in Hebron. They buried Mephibosheth’s head in the tomb of Abner son of Ner.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V2 · working draft awaiting specialist review.