2 Samuel 20

1 Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”

Now there happened to be a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bikri, a Benjamite. And he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no share in David, nor do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel."

2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

So all Israel deserted David and followed Sheba the son of Bikri, but the men of Judah stayed by their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace, and he placed them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he no longer slept with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.

Then David came to his palace at Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women his secondary wives, whom he had left to keep the palace, and placed them under guard, and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were kept in confinement until the day of their death, living as widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”

Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to me within three days, and be present here yourself."

5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.

So Amasa went to summon Judah together, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been allotted him.

6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”

David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Now then, take your lord's servants with you and pursue after him, otherwise he will get himself to fortified cities and escape from us."

7 So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

So there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the warriors. And they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

8 And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was wearing his military attire, and over it was a belt with a dagger in its sheath fastened at his waist, and as he advanced it fell out.

9 “Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

And Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

10 Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he stabbed him with it in the abdomen, so that his intestines spilled out on the ground, and he did not do it to him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

11 One of Joab’s young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”

And one of Joab's young men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever is the one that favors Joab and whoever belongs to David, follow Joab."

12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged the body off the road into a field and threw a garment over it.

But Amasa lay covered with his blood in the midst of the road, and anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. So when the man saw that all the people stopped, he dragged Amasa from the road into a field and threw a garment over him.

13 As soon as Amasa’s body was removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

When he was removed from the road, all the people followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bikri.

14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.

He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and all the Bikrites assembled and followed him.

15 And Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel-beth-maacah and built a siege ramp against the outer rampart of the city. As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to topple it,

And all the people who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah. And they built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall so that it would collapse.

16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.”

Then a wise woman called out from the wall, "Listen, listen. Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak to him.

17 When he had come near to her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. “Listen to the words of your servant,” she said. “I am listening,” he answered.

So he approached her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he replied, "I am." Then she said, "Listen to the words of your servant." And he replied, "I'm listening."

18 Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.

Then she said, "In the past they used to say, 'Let them inquire in Abel and in Dan whether

19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”

that which the faithful of Israel established has been carried out.' You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?"

20 “Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!

Joab answered, "Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

That is not the case. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bikri, has rebelled against king David. Give up him alone and I will withdraw from the city." Then the woman said to Joab, "Look, his head will be thrown to you from the wall."

22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

Then she spoke to all the city with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from him, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;

Now Joab was in command of the entire army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and in command of the Pelethites;

24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

and Adoniram was in command of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

25 Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

and Shisha was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were cohanim;

26 and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

and also Ira the Jairite was David's cohen.