Liber II Samuelis, 4

1. Audivit autem Isbaal filius Saul quod cecidisset Abner in He bron, et dissolutae sunt manus eius, omnisque Israel perturbatus est.

1. When Ish-bo'sheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.

2. Duo autem viri duces turmarum erant filio Saul, nomen uni Baana et nomen alteri Rechab filii Remmon Berothitae de filiis Beniamin; siquidem et Beroth reputata est in Beniamin.

2. Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Ba'anah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Be-er'oth (for Be-er'oth also is reckoned to Benjamin;

3. Fugerant enim Berothitae in Getthaim, factique sunt ibi advenae usque in tempus hoc.

3. the Be-er'othites fled to Gitta'im, and have been sojourners there to this day).

4. Erat autem Ionathan filio Saul filius debilis pedibus. Quinquennis enim fuit, quando venit nuntius de Saul et Ionathan ex Iezrahel. Tollens itaque eum nutrix sua fugit; cumque festinaret, ut fugeret, cecidit et claudus effectus est habuitque vocabulum Meribbaal.

4. Jonathan, 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 came 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 Mephib'osheth.

5. Venientes igitur filii Remmon Berothitae, Rechab et Baana, ingressi sunt, fervente die, domum Isbaal, qui dormiebat super stratum suum meridie; et ostiaria domus purgans triticum obdormivit.

5. Now the sons of Rimmon the Be-er'othite, Rechab and Ba'anah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bo'sheth, as he was taking his noonday rest.

6. Ingressi sunt ergo usque interiora domus et percusserunt eum in inguine Rechab et Baana frater eius et fugerunt.

6. And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept; so Rechab and Ba'anah his brother slipped in.

7. Cum autem ingressi fuissent domum, ille dormiebat super lectum suum in conclavi, et percutientes interfecerunt eum; sublatoque capite eius, abierunt per viam Arabae tota nocte.

7. When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him. They took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night,

8. Et attulerunt caput Isbaal ad David in Hebron dixeruntque ad regem: “Ecce caput Isbaal filii Saul inimici tui, qui quaerebat animam tuam; et dedit Dominus domino meo regi ultiones hodie de Saul et de semine eius”.

8. and brought the head of Ish-bo'sheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-bo'sheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring."

9. Respondens autem David Rechab et Baana fratri eius filiis Remmon Berothitae dixit ad eos: “Vivit Dominus, qui eruit animam meam de omni angustia,

9. But David answered Rechab and Ba'anah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Be-er'othite, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity,

10. quoniam eum, qui annuntiaverat mihi et dixerat: “Mortuus est Saul”, qui putabat se prospera nuntiare, tenui et occidi in Siceleg, cui oportebat me dare mercedem pro nuntio;

10. when one told me, `Behold, Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and slew him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

11. quanto magis nunc, cum homines impii interfecerunt virum innoxium in domo sua super lectum suum, non quaeram sanguinem eius de manu vestra et auferam vos de terra?”.

11. How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous man in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand, and destroy you from the earth?"

12. Praecepit itaque David pueris, et interfecerunt eos; praecidentesque manus et pedes eorum suspenderunt eos super piscinam in Hebron. Caput autem Isbaal tulerunt et sepelierunt in sepulcro Abner in Hebron.

12. And 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-bo'sheth, and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.