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1 And Ishbosheth the son of Saul heard that Abner the son of Ner had died in Hebron; and his hands were paralyzed, and all the men of Israel grew faint.
2 And Ishbosheth the son of Saul had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one [was] Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Berothite of the children of Benjamin; for Beeroth was reckoned to the children of Benjamin.
3 And the Berothites ran away to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.
4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, [had] a son lame of his feet, five years old, and he was [in the way] when the news of Saul and Jonathan his son came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled. And it came to pass as he made haste and retreated, that he fell, and was crippled. And his name [was] Mephibosheth.
5 And Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Berothite set out, and they came in the heat of the day into the house of Ishbosheth; and he was sleeping on a bed at noon.
6 And behold, the porter of the house winnowed wheat, and he slumbered and slept. And the brothers Rechab and Baanah went secretly into the house.
7 And Ishbosheth was sleeping on his bed in his chamber. And they struck him, and killed him, and took off his head. And they took his head, and went all the night by the western road.
8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the Lord has executed vengeance on His enemies for my lord the king, as [it is] this day: even on Saul your enemy, and on his seed.
9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Berothite, and said to them, [As] the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all affliction;
10 he that reported to me that Saul was dead, even he was as one bringing glad tidings before me. But I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, to whom I ought, [as he thought], to have given a reward or his tidings.
11 And now evil men have slain a righteous men in his house, [and] on his bed. Now then, I will require his blood from your hand, and I will destroy you from off the earth.
12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet; and they hung them up at the fountain in Hebron. And they buried the head of Ishbosheth in the tomb of Abner the son of Ner.
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The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC) is a modern translation of the Bible that strives to offer a clear and faithful rendering of the scriptures in contemporary language. This translation is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, providing an easy-to-read yet accurate version of the biblical text. The ABC translation aims to bridge the gap between the ancient languages in which the Bible was originally written and the modern vernacular, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and public reading.
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