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(A) Saul's son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth,[a] who had not been able to walk since he was five years old. It happened when someone from Jezreel told his nurse that Saul and Jonathan had died.[b] She hurried off with the boy in her arms, but he fell and injured his legs.

One day about noon, Rechab and Baanah went to Ishbosheth's house. It was a hot day, and he was resting 6-7 in his bedroom. The two brothers went into the house, pretending to get some flour. But once they were inside, they stabbed Ishbosheth in the stomach and killed him. Then they cut off his head and took it with them.

Rechab and Baanah walked through the Jordan River valley all night long.

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Footnotes

  1. 4.4 Mephibosheth: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation have “Mephibaal.” In 1 Chronicles 8.34 and 9.40 he is called “Meribbaal.” See the note on “baal” and “bosheth” at 2.8.
  2. 4.4 Saul … died: See 1 Samuel 31.1-6.

(Jonathan(A) son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news(B) about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled.(C) His name was Mephibosheth.)(D)

Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth,(E) and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.(F) They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed(G) him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.

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