Read the Modern Pastor’s Version
Select a book and chapter to read the MPV in modern, pastor-shaped English. This view shows the reading edition of the text in paragraphs.
Currently viewing: 2 Samuel 4 · MPV reading edition
When Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble. All Israel were troubled by this news.
Saul's son had two captains of raiding bands, Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, from Benjamin. Their family originally came from Beeroth, which is also considered part of Benjamin. However, due to some event in their past, they fled to Gittaim and have remained sojourners there until this day.
Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son named Mephibosheth. He was born with crippled feet. When news came that his grandfather Saul and great-grandfather Jonathan were killed at Jezreel, he was just five years old. His nurse rushed to escape, but in her hurry, Mephibosheth fell and became lame.
The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, arrived at Ishbosheth's house while he was resting in his bedchamber during the day. They pretended to be gathering wheat inside the house, but instead, they struck him under the fifth rib, killing him instantly. Rechab and Baanah, Ishbosheth's own brothers, escaped.
When they entered the house, Ishbosheth was lying on his bed in his private chamber. The two men killed him, beheaded him, took his head, and fled through the open fields all night. They then brought Ishbosheth's head to David in Hebron and said, "Here is the head of Ishbosheth, Saul's son, who sought your life. Now God has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his descendants."
David responded to Rechab and Baanah, saying, "As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued me from every difficulty," I had already dealt with someone who brought news of Saul's death in Ziklag. When that person told me he thought it was good news, I actually killed him for expecting a reward. How much more should I punish you both for murdering an innocent man in his own home on his bed? Don't I have the right to demand your blood and take you away from the earth?
David ordered his men to kill Rechab and Baanah, then cut off their hands and feet and hang their bodies over the pool in Hebron. However, they chose instead to bury Ishbosheth's head in Abner's tomb in Hebron.