1 And Saul's son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, and his hands became feeble and all of Israel were dismayed. i 2 And there were of Saul's son two men, leaders of troops. The name of the one was Baanah, ii and the name of the second, Rechab, iii sons of Pomegranate the Beerothite iv from sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth was also considered in Benjamin, 3 and the Beerothites fled to Gattaim; v and they have been there sojourning until this day). 4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son with crippled feet. He was a son of five years when the news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it was, in her haste to flee, so he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. vi
5 And sons of Pomegranate the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came during the heat of the day to Man of Shame's house, and he was lying down, the lying down of noon. 6 And they came in unto the midst of the house taking wheat, and they struck him to the belly. And Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 So, they came in the house, and he was lying upon his bed in his bedroom. And they struck him and killed him and removed his head and took his head and went the way of the plain all the night.
8 And they brought Man of Shame's head to David, and said to the king, “Behold, head of Man of Shame, son of Saul, your enemy who sought your soul, so, Yehvah has given to my lord, the king, vengeance this day from Saul and from his seed.” 9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Pomegranate the Beerothite, and said to them, “Yehvah lives, who has redeemed my soul from every distress, 10 when one told me saying, 'Behold, Saul died.' And it was as good news in his eyes. So, I grabbed him and killed him in Ziklag, what I gave him for news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed Man of Shame in his house upon his bed. And now, will I not seek his blood from your hands and burn vii you from the earth.” 12 And David commanded the young men and they killed them, and they cut off their hands and their feet and hung them by the pool in Hebron. And Man of Shame's head they took and buried in Abner's grave in Hebron.
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.
- ו רבלהָנה) nivhâlu) “were dismayed” - plural verb, i.e. they were dismayed. ^
- ה ננָבוע) ba`anâh) “Baanah” - found also in 2 Samuel 4:5-6, 9, and others by this name in 2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Kings 4:16; 1 Chronicles 11:30; Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7; 10:27(H28). ^
- הב ריכ) rêkhâv) “Rechab” - found also in 2 Samuel 4:5-6, 9; 2 Kings 10:15, 23; 1 Chronicles 2:55; Nehemiah 3:14; Jeremiah 35:6, 8, 14, 16, 19. ^
- י רָרתתה ךְא בל) be'erotiy) “Beerothite” - found also in 2 Samuel 4:3, 5, 9; 23:37; 1 Chronicles 11:39. ^
- ה ה ילמ ה ת רָגה) gittâymâh) “Gittaim” - found also in Nehemiah 11:33. ^
- ךתְריבתשָמלפה) mephiyvoshet) “Mephibosheth” - found also in 2 Samuel 9:6, 10-13; 16:1, 4; 19:24-25, 30; 21:7, 8 (vs 8 is a different Mephibosheth). ^
- י רָתה רל עו רָבה) vi`arttiy) “burn” - see footnote Deuteronomy 13:5. ^