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Good News Translation

2 Samuel 4:12

David gave the order, and his soldiers killed Rechab and Baanah and cut off their hands and feet, which they hung up near the pool in Hebron. They took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb there at Hebron.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Assassination;   Government;   Hanging;   Hebron;   Homicide;   Ish-Bosheth;   Rechab;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Beauty-Disfigurement;   Body;   Ish-Bosheth;   Mutilation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Feet, the;   Hands, the;   Kings;   Pools and Ponds;   Punishments;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Baanah and Rechab;   Hebron;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - David;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Murder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Captive;   Fish-Pools;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Hebron;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Crimes and Punishments;   Hanging;   Rechab;   Samuel, Books of;   Water;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Baanah;   Crucifixion;   Pool, Pond;   Rechab, Rechabites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Tree ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Baanah ;   Ishbosheth ;   Rechab ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Punishments;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Punishments of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cistern;   Crime;   Hebron (1);   Ish-Bosheth;   Pool;   Rechab;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So David gave orders to the young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.
Hebrew Names Version
David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hevron. But they took the head of Ish-Boshet, and buried it in the grave of Aviner in Hevron.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them, and they cut off their hands and their feet, and they hung them at the pool at Hebron, but the head of Ish-Bosheth they took and buried in the grave of Abner at Hebron.
English Standard Version
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-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.
New Century Version
So David commanded his men to kill Recab and Baanah. They cut off the hands and feet of Recab and Baanah and hung them over the pool of Hebron. Then they took Ish-Bosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron.
New English Translation
So David issued orders to the soldiers and they put them to death. Then they cut off their hands and feet and hung them near the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.
Amplified Bible
So David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them beside the pool in Hebron. But they took Ish-bosheth's head and buried it in Hebron in the tomb of Abner [his relative].
New American Standard Bible
Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet, and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Dauid commanded his yong men, & they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feete, and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron: but they tooke the head of Ish-bosheth, & buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
Contemporary English Version
Then David said to his troops, "Kill these two brothers! Cut off their hands and feet and hang their bodies by the pool in Hebron. But bury Ishbosheth's head in Abner's tomb near Hebron." And they did.
Complete Jewish Bible
David then gave the order to his men, and they put them to death, cutting off their hands and feet and hanging them up next to the pool at Hevron. But they took the head of Ish-Boshet and buried it in Avner's grave at Hevron.
Darby Translation
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
So David commanded his young helpers to kill Recab and Baanah. The young men cut off the hands and feet of Recab and Baanah and hanged them by the pool of Hebron. Then they took the head of Ish Bosheth and buried it where Abner was buried at Hebron.
George Lamsa Translation
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them on the hill in Hebron. But they took the head of Ashbashul and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
Literal Translation
And David commanded his young men. And they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hung them by the pool in Hebron. And they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the burying place of Abner in Hebron.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid commaunded his yonge men, which slewe them, and smote of their handes and fete, and hanged them vp by ye pole at Hebron. But the heade of Ißboseth toke they, and buried it in Abners graue at Hebron.
American Standard Version
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
Bible in Basic English
And David gave orders to his young men and they put them to death, cutting off their hands and their feet and hanging them up by the side of the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and put it in its last resting-place with Abner's body in Hebron.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid commaunded his young men, and they slue them, and cut of their handes and feete, and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron: But they toke the head of Isboseth, & buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid commanded his yong men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feete, and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron: but they tooke the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner, in Hebron.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David commanded his young men, and they slay them, and cut off their hands and their feet; and they hung them up at the fountain in Chebron: and they buried the head of Jebosthe in the tomb of Abenezer the son of Ner.
English Revised Version
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish–bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
Berean Standard Bible
So David commanded his young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Dauid comaundide to his children, and thei killiden hem; and thei kittiden awei the hondis and `feet of hem, and hangiden hem ouer the cisterne in Ebron. Forsothe thei token the heed of Isbosech, and birieden in the sepulcre of Abner, in Ebron.
Young's Literal Translation
And David commandeth the young men, and they slay them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hang [them] over the pool in Hebron, and the head of Ish-Bosheth they have taken, and bury [it] in the burying-place of Abner in Hebron.
Update Bible Version
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner the son of Ner in Hebron.
Webster's Bible Translation
And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged [them] over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried [it] in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.
World English Bible
David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
New King James Version
So David commanded his young men, and they executed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.
New Living Translation
So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.
New Life Bible
Then David had the young men kill them and cut off their hands and feet. They hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner's grave in Hebron.
New Revised Standard
So David commanded the young men, and they killed them; they cut off their hands and feet, and hung their bodies beside the pool at Hebron. But the head of Ishbaal they took and buried in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
David therefore commanded the young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands, and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool, in Hebron, - but, the head of Ish-bosheth, took they, and buried in the grave of Abner, in Hebron.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David commanded his servants and they slew them: and cutting off their hands and feet, hanged them up over the pool in Hebron: but the head of Isboseth they took and buried in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
Revised Standard Version
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.
THE MESSAGE
David then issued orders to his soldiers. They killed the two—chopped off their hands and feet, and hung the corpses at the pool in Hebron. But Ish-Bosheth's head they took and buried in Abner's tomb in Hebron.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

Contextual Overview

9 David answered them, "I take a vow by the living Lord , who has saved me from all dangers! 10 The messenger who came to me at Ziklag and told me of Saul's death thought he was bringing good news. I seized him and had him put to death. That was the reward I gave him for his good news! 11 How much worse it will be for evil men who murder an innocent man asleep in his own house! I will now take revenge on you for murdering him and will wipe you off the face of the earth!" 12 David gave the order, and his soldiers killed Rechab and Baanah and cut off their hands and feet, which they hung up near the pool in Hebron. They took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb there at Hebron.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

slew them: 2 Samuel 1:15, Psalms 55:23, Matthew 7:2

hanged: 2 Samuel 21:9, Deuteronomy 21:22, Deuteronomy 21:23

in the sepulchre: 2 Samuel 3:32

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 21:14 - buried 1 Kings 2:25 - he fell 1 Chronicles 8:33 - Eshbaal Lamentations 1:6 - all

Cross-References

Genesis 4:3
After some time Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to the Lord .
Genesis 4:4
Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:14
You are driving me off the land and away from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me."
Genesis 4:17
Cain and his wife had a son and named him Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son.
Genesis 4:18
Enoch had a son named Irad, who was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael had a son named Methushael, who was the father of Lamech.
Genesis 4:23
Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me: I have killed a young man because he struck me.
Genesis 4:24
If seven lives are taken to pay for killing Cain, Seventy-seven will be taken if anyone kills me."
Leviticus 26:20
All your hard work will do you no good, because your land will not produce crops and the trees will not bear fruit.
Leviticus 26:36
"I will make those of you who are in exile so terrified that the sound of a leaf blowing in the wind will make you run. You will run as if you were being pursued in battle, and you will fall when there is no enemy near you.
Psalms 109:10
May his children be homeless beggars; may they be driven from the ruins they live in!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David commanded his young men, and they slew them,.... He ordered some of his guards about him to fall on them, and put them to death; and they accordingly did:

and cut off their hands and their feet; their hands, which had smote Ishbosheth, and cut off his head; and their feet, which had been swift to shed his blood, and made haste to bring his head so many miles to David; this was what the Jews call measure for measure:

and hanged [them] up over the pool in Hebron; not their hands and their feet, but the trunks of their bodies, thus mutilated; so Theodoret; though others think their hands and their feet were hung up, and not their bodies, because dead bodies were not to hang upon the tree more than a day; they were hung up over the fish pool in Hebron, because a public place, and where they were the more exposed to their shame, and the terror of others:

but they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried [it] in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron; by order of David no doubt, who it seems had made, or ordered to be made, a sepulchre, for Abner, see 2 Samuel 3:38; all which David did to show his regard to the family of Saul, his abhorrence of such execrable murders, and to remove all suspicion of his being concerned in them, and to conciliate the minds of the Israelites to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Cut off their hands ... - After they were dead. Their hands and feet were hung up in a place of public resort, both to deter others and also to let all Israel know that David was not privy to the murder of Ish-bosheth.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 4:12. And they slew them — None ever more richly deserved death; and by this act of justice, David showed to all Israel that he was a decided enemy to the destruction of Saul's family; and that none could lift up their hands against any of them without meeting with condign punishment. In all these cases I know not that it was possible for David to show more sincerity, or a stricter regard for justice.


 
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