2 Samuel 4

Ish-bosheth Murdered

1When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, ^ahis courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth ( ^bfor Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 ^cthe Beerothites fled ^dto Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

4 ^eJonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan ^fcame from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him ^gin the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. ▼

▼Septuagint  And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept. So Rechab and Baanah his brother slipped in

7When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of ⁱthe Arabah all night, 8and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, ^jwho sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, ^k“As the Lord lives, ^lwho has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 ^mwhen one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, ⁿI seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now ^orequire his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it ^pin the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

2 Samuel 9

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

1And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may ^qshow him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was ^rZiba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show ^sthe kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of ^tJonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of ^uMachir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6And ^vMephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7And David said to him, “Do not fear, ^wfor I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and ^xyou shall eat at my table always.” 8And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for ^ya dead dog such as I?”

9Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson ^zshall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had ^aafifteen sons and twenty servants. 11Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ^abate at David’s ▼

▼Septuagint; Hebrew my

table, like one of the king’s sons. 12And Mephibosheth had a young son, ^adwhose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for ^aehe ate always at the king’s table. Now ^afhe was lame in both his feet.