שמואל ב, פרק ד׳, פסוק ג׳

Abandoning a hometown and fleeing to a foreign land marks a sharp turning point in the lives of a community, often shaping the broader history of a kingdom. The residents of Beeroth experienced such an upheaval, forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in the city of Gittaim.

The exact timing and cause of this sudden departure are viewed from different perspectives. The flight may have been triggered by the death of King Saul, when the Israelites abandoned cities located close to the Philistines [רש״י]. Alternatively, this migration could have happened earlier for reasons that remain unstated [מצודת דוד], or the residents may have left the Land of Israel following a specific incident that would only become clear as history unfolded [מלבי״ם].

Regardless of the initial cause, the Beerothites never returned to their original homes. They lived as exiles in their new city until a very specific point in time. This period of exile ended on the day these same men assassinated Ish-bosheth, an act for which they were promptly executed by David [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, this chain of events ensured that no descendant of Saul remained who could continue to hold the reins of the kingdom [מלבי״ם].