4When Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard about Abner's death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.H7586H1121H8085H74H4191H2275H3027H7503H3478H9262Now there were two brothers, Baanah and Recab, who were captains of Ishbosheth's raiding parties. They were sons of Rimmon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Beeroth. The town of Beeroth is now part of Benjamin's territoryH7586H1121H1961H8147H582H8269H1416H8034H259H1196H8034H8145H7394H1121H7417H886H1121H1144H881H2803H11443because the original people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.H886H1272H1664H1481H31174(Saul's son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child's nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)H3083H7586H1121H1121H5223H7272H2568H8141H1121H8052H935H7586H3083H3157H539H5375H5127H2648H5127H5307H6452H8034H46485One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth's house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.H1121H7417H886H7394H1196H3212H935H2527H3117H1004H378H7901H4904H66726The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her.H935H8432H1004H3947H2406H5221H2570H7394H1196H251H44227They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night.H935H1004H7901H4296H2315H4904H5221H4191H5493H3947H7218H3212H1870H6160H39158When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth's head to David. "Look!" they exclaimed to the king. "Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the LORD has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!"H935H7218H378H1732H2275H559H4428H7218H378H1121H7586H341H1245H5315H3068H5414H5360H113H4428H3117H7586H22339But David said to Recab and Baanah, "The LORD, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness.H1732H6030H7394H1196H251H1121H7417H886H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H686910Someone once told me, 'Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That's the reward I gave him for his news!H5046H559H7586H4191H5869H1319H270H2026H6860H5414H130911How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn't I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?"H7563H582H2026H6662H376H1004H4904H1245H1818H3027H1197H77612So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.H1732H6680H5288H2026H7112H3027H7272H8518H1295H2275H3947H7218H378H6912H6913H74H2275
, Saul's son, heard about Abner's death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.H7586
