Rimmon
The Beerothite, father of Baana and Rekab
Rimmon was a Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin and the father of Baana and Rekab. His two sons were military leaders during the reign of Ish-bosheth (Saul's son) and became known for killing Ish-bosheth and bringing his head to King David, who punished them with death for their wicked deed.
Family
Key events
Rimmon's sons as military leaders
Rimmon's sons Baana and Rekab served as leaders of raiding bands during the reign of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son.
2Saul's son had two men who were commanders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rechab; they were sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, of the tribe of Benjamin—for Beeroth too was reckoned as belonging to Benjamin.
וּשְׁנֵ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֣ים שָׂרֵֽי־גְדוּדִ֣ים הָי֪וּ בֶן־שָׁא֟וּל שֵׁם֩ הָאֶחָ֨ד בַּֽעֲנָ֜ה וְשֵׁ֧ם הַשֵּׁנִ֣י רֵכָ֗ב בְּנֵ֛י רִמּ֥וֹן הַבְּאֵֽ[t]רֹתִ֖י מִבְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּ֚י גַּם־בְּאֵר֔וֹת תֵּחָשֵׁ֖ב עַל־בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
Rimmon's origin from Beeroth
Rimmon came from Beeroth, which was counted among the tribe of Benjamin. The people of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim.
2Saul's son had two men who were commanders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rechab; they were sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, of the tribe of Benjamin—for Beeroth too was reckoned as belonging to Benjamin.
וּשְׁנֵ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֣ים שָׂרֵֽי־גְדוּדִ֣ים הָי֪וּ בֶן־שָׁא֟וּל שֵׁם֩ הָאֶחָ֨ד בַּֽעֲנָ֜ה וְשֵׁ֧ם הַשֵּׁנִ֣י רֵכָ֗ב בְּנֵ֛י רִמּ֥וֹן הַבְּאֵֽ[t]רֹתִ֖י מִבְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּ֚י גַּם־בְּאֵר֔וֹת תֵּחָשֵׁ֖ב עַל־בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
3The people of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim, and they have lived there as foreigners to this day.
וַיִּבְרְח֥וּ הַבְּאֵרֹתִ֖ים גִּתָּ֑יְמָה וַֽיִּהְיוּ־שָׁ֣ם גָּרִ֔ים עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ ס
The murder of Ish-bosheth
Rehoboam's sons Rechab and Baanah entered Ish-bosheth's house in the middle of the day and killed him while he was resting on his bed.
5Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, set out and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while he was taking his midday rest.
וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ בְּנֵֽי־רִמּ֤וֹן הַבְּאֵֽרֹתִי֙ רֵכָ֣ב וּבַעֲנָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ כְּחֹ֣ם הַיּ֔וֹם אֶל־בֵּ֖ית אִ֣ישׁ בֹּ֑שֶׁת וְה֣וּא שֹׁכֵ֔ב אֵ֖ת מִשְׁכַּ֥ב הַֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃
6They came right inside the house while the wheat was being taken in, and they struck him in the belly. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
וְ֠הֵנָּה בָּ֜אוּ עַד־תּ֤וֹךְ הַבַּ֙יִת֙ לֹקְחֵ֣י חִטִּ֔ים וַיַּכֻּ֖הוּ אֶל־הַחֹ֑מֶשׁ וְרֵכָ֛ב וּבַעֲנָ֥ה אָחִ֖יו נִמְלָֽטוּ׃
7They had entered the house while he lay on his bed in his bedroom, and they struck him down and killed him. They cut off his head, took it with them, and traveled all night by way of the Arabah.
וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ הַבַּ֗יִת וְהֽוּא־שֹׁכֵ֤ב עַל־מִטָּתוֹ֙ בַּחֲדַ֣ר מִשְׁכָּב֔וֹ וַיַּכֻּ֙הוּ֙ וַיְמִתֻ֔הוּ וַיָּסִ֖ירוּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וַיֵּֽ[m]לְכ֛וּ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָ֖ה כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃
The Sons Bring Ish-bosheth's Head to David
Rechab and Baanah brought Ish-bosheth's head to David in Hebron, thinking they had done him a favor by killing his enemy.
8They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. Today the LORD has avenged my lord the king on Saul and his offspring."
וַ֠יָּבִאוּ אֶת־רֹ֨אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־דָּוִד֮ חֶבְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הִנֵּֽה־רֹ֣אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֗שֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁאוּל֙ אֹֽיִבְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן יְ֠הוָה לַֽאדֹנִ֨י הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ נְקָמוֹת֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה מִשָּׁא֖וּל וּמִזַּרְעֽוֹ׃ ס
David's Judgment on Rehoboam's Sons
David condemned the murder of an innocent man in his own house and ordered the execution of Baanah and Rechab. Their hands and feet were cut off, and they were hanged by the pool in Hebron.
9But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress—
וַיַּ֨עַן דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־רֵכָ֣ב ׀ וְאֶת־בַּעֲנָ֣ה אָחִ֗יו בְּנֵ֛י רִמּ֥וֹן הַבְּאֵֽרֹתִ֖י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֑ם חַי־יְהוָ֕ה אֲשֶׁר־פָּדָ֥ה אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִכָּל־צָרָֽה׃
10when a man told me, 'Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!
כִּ֣י הַמַּגִּיד֩ לִ֨י לֵאמֹ֜ר הִנֵּה־מֵ֣ת שָׁא֗וּל וְהֽוּא־הָיָ֤ה כִמְבַשֵּׂר֙ בְּעֵינָ֔יו וָאֹחֲזָ֣ה ב֔וֹ וָאֶהְרְגֵ֖הוּ בְּצִֽקְלָ֑ג אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְתִתִּי־ל֖וֹ בְּשֹׂרָֽה׃
11How much more, when wicked men have murdered an innocent man in his own house, on his own bed—shall I not now require his blood from your hands and rid the land of you?"
אַ֞ף כִּֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֣ים רְשָׁעִ֗ים הָרְג֧וּ אֶת־אִישׁ־צַדִּ֛יק בְּבֵית֖וֹ עַל־מִשְׁכָּ֑בוֹ וְעַתָּ֗ה הֲל֨וֹא אֲבַקֵּ֤שׁ אֶת־דָּמוֹ֙ מִיֶּדְכֶ֔ם וּבִעַרְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
12So David gave the order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron.
וַיְצַו֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֜ים וַיַּהַרְג֗וּם וַֽיְקַצְּצ֤וּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתְל֥וּ עַל־הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וְאֵ֨ת רֹ֤אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙ לָקָ֔חוּ וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ בְקֶֽבֶר־אַבְנֵ֖ר בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ פ