The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 182
SECT. CLXXXII.
Iſhboſheth, and the Iſraelites that adher'd to him were wonderfully perplex'd and diſmaid when they heard of the death of Abner, he being their General on whoſe counſel and conduct they had hitherto ſo much depended. Things going thus badly with them, two of Iſhboſheth's Captains conſpired againſt him, whoſe names were Baanah, and Rechab the Sons of Rimmon born in Beeroth a City of Benjamin; but the inhabitants of that City after Saul's diſcomfiture fled out of it to Gittaim another Town of Benjamin, and the Philiſtines poſſeſſed it, and ſo they were ſtill called Beerothites, after the place of their former habitation, and lived but as ſojourners in Gittaim among their Brethren the Children of Benjamin. And that which encouraged theſe Captains (as it ſeems) to conſpire the death of Iſhboſheth was, becauſe he being taken away there would be no legitimate iſſue of Saul's race, but only Mephiboſheth, who being but a child of twelve years of age, and withal lame in his feet was altogether unfit to ſucceed in the Kingdom. Whence they imagined how advantageous their intended fact would be to David, and how likely they were to be rewarded by him for it, and laſtly how ſafely they might do it, becauſe there would be none left of Saul's race to revenge Iſhboſheth's death. Accordingly theſe Conſpirators came to Iſhboſheth's houſe, who was then repoſing himſelf on his bed, and they came (it ſeems) in the diſguiſe or habit of Country men or Merchants that came to buy wheat (h)Non mirum Tirticum in Regia domo repoſitum eſſe. Nimis delicati ſunt & antiquae ſimplicitatis ignavi qui ad hodiernam Aularum elegantiam priſtinas Regum Aulas exigunt., (whereof Iſhboſheth's lands yielded great ſtore) or of Porters that came to carry ſome away that had been bought; and by this colour having free acceſs into his houſe, and finding him aſleep upon his bed, they deſperately murder'd him, and cutting off his head took it away with them, and travelling all night from Mahanaim through the Plain of Jericho to Hebron, they brought it to David, and preſented it to him, ſaying, Behold the head of Iſhboſheth thine enemy who ſought thy life, and the Lord hath avenged my Lord the King this day on Saul and on his ſeed. David being enraged at this their deſperate wickedneſs and treachery againſt their Lord and Maſter, ſaid, As ſure as the Lord liveth who hath hitherto deliverd me out of all my troubles, I will inflict upon you the puniſhment that your heinous crime deſerves; when the Amalekite came to me and told me that Saul was dead (thinking to have brought me acceptable tidings) and ſaid moreover that upon Saul's requeſt he had helped to kill him, and rid him out of his pain. [See 2 Sam. 1.10.] I took hold of him and ſlew him in Ziklag, though he thought I would have given him a reward for his tidings; how much greater reaſon then have I to execute ſevere juſtice on ſuch bloody and wicked Aſſaſinates as you are who have murder'd one that was juſt and innocent as to you, having done you no wrong, but contrary deſerved well of you, and that ſo baſely and treacherouſly in his own houſe, and upon his bed where he lay ſecure, ſuſpecting no ſuch danger? Have not I reaſon therefore to require his blood at your hands, and to take you away from the earth for committing ſuch an abominable villany? Having thus ſpoken, he commanded the young men about him to fall upon them and ſlay them, which they immediately did, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the Pool in Hebron, that all men might ſee how much David abhorred this fact of theirs, and how far he was from knowing any thing of it, or giving the leaſt encouragement to them that did it. As for the Head of Iſhboſheth they took and buried it in the Sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.
2 Sam. Ch. 4. whole Chapter.