Ish-Bosheth Is Murdered
1Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul, heard that Abner had died in Hebron. Then he wasn’t so brave anymore. And all the Israelites became alarmed. 2Two men in Ish-Bosheth’s army led small fighting groups that attacked their enemies. The names of the men were Baanah and Rekab. They were sons of Rimmon from the town of Beeroth. Rimmon was from the tribe of Benjamin. Beeroth is considered to be part of Benjamin. 3That’s because the people who used to live in Beeroth had run away to Gittaim. They have lived there as outsiders to this day.
4Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son named Mephibosheth. Both of Mephibosheth’s feet were hurt. He was five years old when the news that Saul and Jonathan had died came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran. But as she hurried to get away, he fell down. That’s how his feet were hurt.
5Rekab and Baanah started out for the house of Ish-Bosheth. They were the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. They arrived there during the hottest time of the day. Ish-Bosheth was taking his early afternoon nap. 6Rekab and his brother Baanah went into the inside part of the house. They acted as if they were going to get some wheat. Instead, they stabbed Ish-Bosheth in the stomach. Then they slipped away.
7They had gone into the house while Ish-Bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They stabbed him and killed him. Then they cut off his head and took it with them. They traveled all night through the Arabah Valley. 8They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to King David at Hebron. They said to him, “Here’s the head of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul. Saul was your enemy. He often tried to kill you. Today the Lord has paid back Saul and his family. He has let you get even with them. You are our king and master.”
9David gave an answer to Rekab and his brother Baanah. They were the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. David said, “The Lord has saved me from every trouble. 10Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead.’ He thought he was bringing me good news. But I grabbed him. I had him put to death in Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! And that’s just as sure as the Lord is alive. 11Now you evil men have killed a man in his own house. He hadn’t done anything wrong. You killed him while he was lying on his own bed. You spilled his blood. So shouldn’t I spill your blood? Shouldn’t I wipe you off the face of the earth?”
12Then David gave an order to his men. They killed Rekab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet. They hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they buried the head of Ish-Bosheth in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.
Pinatay si Ishboshet
1Nang marinig ni Ishboshet na anak ni Saul, na pinatay si Abner sa Hebron, pinagharian siya ng matinding takot pati na ang lahat ng mamamayan ng Israel. 2May dalawang tauhan si Ishboshet na namumuno sa pagsalakay sa mga lungsod ng mga kalaban: sina Baana at Recab. Mga anak sila ni Rimon na taga-Beerot, mula sa lahi ni Benjamin. Ang Beerot ay sakop ngayon ng Benjamin 3dahil tumakas ang mga unang naninirahan dito papuntang Gittaim. Hanggang ngayon, naninirahan pa rin sila roon bilang mga dayuhan.
4(Ang isa pang anak ni Saul na si Jonatan ay may anak na nalumpo, si Mefiboset. Limang taong gulang ito nang dumating ang balitang napatay sina Saul at Jonatan sa labanan sa Jezreel. Nang marinig ng tagapag-alaga ni Mefiboset ang balita, binuhat niya ito at tumakas. Pero dahil sa pagmamadali, nabitawan niya ang bata at nalumpo.)
5Isang araw, nagpunta sa bahay ni Ishboshet sina Recab at Baana na mga anak ni Rimon na taga-Beerot. Tanghaling-tapat nang dumating sila habang nagpapahinga si Ishboshet. 6-7Pumasok sila sa bahay na kunwariʼy kukuha ng trigo. Dumiretso sila sa kwarto ni Ishboshet kung saan nakahiga ito sa kama niya at pagkatapos, sinaksak nila ito sa tiyan. Pinutol nila ang ulo ni Ishboshet at dinala nila ito sa kanilang pagtakas. Buong gabi silang naglakbay sa Lambak ng Jordan.4:6-7 Lambak ng Jordan: sa Hebreo, Araba.
8Pagdating nila sa Hebron, dinala nila kay David ang ulo ni Ishboshet at sinabi, “Narito po ang ulo ni Ishboshet ang anak ni Saul na kalaban nʼyo, na nagtangka sa inyong buhay. Sa araw na ito, ipinaghiganti kayo ng Panginoon laban kay Saul at sa angkan niya.” 9Sumagot si David, “Sasabihin ko sa inyo ang totoo sa presensya ng Panginoon na buhay, na nagligtas sa akin sa lahat ng kapahamakan. 10Noon ay may taong pumunta sa akin sa Ziklag at sinabing patay na si Saul, akala niyaʼy magandang balita ang dala niya sa akin. Sa halip, ipinadakip ko siya at ipinapatay. Iyon ang gantimpalang ibinigay ko sa balitang inihatid niya sa akin. 11Ngayon, anong gantimpala ang ibibigay ko sa masasamang taong gaya nʼyo na pumatay ng isang inosenteng tao sa sarili nitong tahanan at sa sarili niyang higaan? Hindi baʼt nararapat na patayin ko kayo para mawala na kayo sa mundo?”
12Kaya iniutos ni David sa mga tauhan niya na patayin sina Recab at Baana, at sinunod nila ito. Pinutol nila ang mga kamay at paa ng magkapatid, at ibinitin ang kanilang katawan malapit sa Imbakan ng Tubig ng Hebron. Pagkatapos, kinuha nila ang ulo ni Ishboshet, at inilibing sa libingan ni Abner sa Hebron.
