The Assassination of Ish-bosheth

41 Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son , heard that Abner had died in Hebron , he lost courage e , and all Israel was disturbed . 2 Saul's son had two men who were commanders of bands : the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab , sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin , 3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been aliens there until this day ). 4 Now Jonathan , Saul's son , had a son crippled in his feet . He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel , and his nurse took him up and fled . And it happened that in her hurry to flee , he fell and became lame . And his name was Mephibosheth . 5 So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , Rechab and Baanah , departed and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest . 6 They came to the middle of the house as if to get wheat , and they struck him in the belly ; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped . 7 Now when they came into the house , as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom e , they struck him and killed him and beheaded e him. And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night . 8 Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king , "Behold , the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul , your enemy , who sought your life ; thus the Lord has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and his descendants ."

9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother , sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , and said to them, "As the Lord lives , who has redeemed my life from all distress , 10 when one told me, saying , 'Behold , Saul is dead ,' and thought he was bringing good news , I seized him and killed him in Ziklag , which was the reward I gave him for his news . 11 "How much e more e , when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed , shall I not now require his blood from your hand and destroy you from the earth ?" 12 Then David commanded the young men , and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron . But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron .