Baanah

1Ish-bosheth was Saul's son. He heard that Abner had died in Hebron. When he heard it, he lost all his courage. Everyone in Israel was upset and afraid too.

And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

NoteIsh-bosheth was king over most of Israel. David was king in another town called Hebron. Abner was the leader of Ish-bosheth's army. Without Abner, Ish-bosheth had no one strong to help him.

2Ish-bosheth had two men who led groups of fighters. One was named Baanah. The other was named Rechab. They were sons of a man named Rimmon, from the town of Beeroth. That town belonged to the family group of Benjamin.

And Saul’s son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin.

NoteThe family groups of Israel were called tribes. Benjamin was one of the twelve tribes. Saul's family came from Benjamin, so these men were his own people.

3Long ago the people of Beeroth ran away to a place called Gittaim. They have lived there as outsiders ever since.

And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

NoteOutsiders were people living in a town that was not their own. They did not own land there. Life was harder for them than for the local families.

4Jonathan, Saul's son, had a little boy whose feet did not work right. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. The woman who cared for him picked him up and ran. She hurried so fast that the boy fell and was hurt. After that he could not walk well. His name was Mephibosheth.

And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

NoteJonathan was Saul's son and David's best friend. He and Saul died in a battle far away at Jezreel. The family was afraid enemy soldiers would come, so the nurse ran. A nurse was a woman paid to take care of a rich family's child. Remember Mephibosheth's name. He comes back into the story later.

5Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, set out one day. They came to Ish-bosheth's house in the hottest part of the day. He was lying on his bed for a midday nap.

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

NoteIn that land the middle of the day was very hot. People often rested indoors until it cooled off. Nobody would think it strange to find the king asleep.

6They walked into the middle of the house. They acted like they had come to pick up wheat. Then they stabbed Ish-bosheth in the stomach. Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped away.

And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

NoteWheat is the grain that bread is made from. Leaders kept big piles of it in their houses. Men came in and out to carry it away, so the two brothers did not look strange.

7They had come in while he was lying on his bed in his room. They stabbed him and killed him. Then they cut off his head and carried it away. They traveled all night through the flat land.

For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.

NoteThe flat land is a long, low valley near the Jordan River. Walking there at night helped them travel without being seen.

8They brought Ish-bosheth's head to David at Hebron. They said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son. He was your enemy, and he tried to kill you. Today the LORD has paid Saul and his family back for what they did to you."

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

NoteThey carried the head to prove the man was really dead. They expected David to be pleased and give them a reward. LORD in capital letters is God's own name.

9David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. He said, "The LORD is alive, and he has saved me from every trouble. I promise you this by him.

And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

NoteDavid is making a strong promise. Saying "the LORD is alive" made a promise as serious as it could be. It was like saying, "I mean every word of this."

10Once a man came and told me that Saul was dead. He thought he was bringing me good news. But I grabbed him and had him killed at Ziklag. That was the pay he got for his news.

When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

NoteThis happened earlier in the story. Ziklag was the town where David and his men lived then. David did not think the news was good news at all. Saul had been chosen by God to be king.

11Now wicked men have killed a good man in his own house. They killed him on his own bed. So I will certainly make you pay for his death. I will take you off the earth."

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

NoteIn those days a family could ask for justice when someone was killed. The king had to punish the killers. David is saying he will not let this go.

12David gave the order, and his young men killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and their feet. They hung their bodies up by the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ish-bosheth's head and buried it in Abner's grave in Hebron.

And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

NoteHanging the bodies where people could see them was a public sign. It told everyone that these men had done something very wrong. Burying the head in Abner's grave was the opposite. It was a way of showing honor and respect.