1When the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands grew slack and all Israel was dismayed.2Two men who were captains of raiding bands belonged to the son of Saul; the name of the first was Baanah and the name of the second was Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, from the sons of Benjamin, because Beeroth also was reckoned as part of Benjamin.3The Beerothites fled to Gittaim and lived there as sojourners until this day.4Jonathan the son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet; he was five years old when the tidings of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to flee he fell and became lame, and his name was Mephibosheth.5Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and came to the house of Ish-bosheth at the heat of the day while he was lying on his bed at midday.6They came into the midst of the house as though taking wheat, struck him in the belly, and Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.7They came into the house, and he was lying on his bed in the inner chamber, and they struck him and put him to death; they removed his head, took his head, and traveled all night along the way of the Arabah.8They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, "Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life; the LORD has given my lord the king vengeance this day from Saul and from his seed."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."10When the one telling me said, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' and he was as one bearing tidings in his own eyes, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for the good news.11How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and remove you from the land?12David commanded the young men, and they killed them; they cut off their hands and their feet and hung them by the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.