2 Samuel 20

1 Now by chance there was present a good-for-nothing person named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he, sounding the horn, said, We have no part in David, or any interest in the son of Jesse: let every man go to his tent, O Israel.

And there happened to be a worthless man, whose name was Sheba', the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the cornet, and said, We have no part in David, nor have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel!

2 So all the men of Israel, turning away from David, went after Sheba, the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah were true to their king, going with him from Jordan as far as Jerusalem.

So every man of Israel went off from David, following Sheba' the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah adhered unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten women to whom he had given the care of the house, and had them shut up, and gave them the necessaries of life, but did not go near them. So they were shut up till the day of their death, living as widows.

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, the concubines, whom he had left to guard the house, and put them in a guard-house, and provided for them, but went not in unto them. So they were confined until the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, Get all the men of Judah together, and in three days be here yourself.

Then said the king to 'Amassa, Call together for me the men of Judah within three days, and thou present thyself here [then].

5 So Amasa went to get all the men of Judah together, but he took longer than the time David had given him.

So 'Amassa went to call Judah together; but he remained out longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 And David said to Abishai, Sheba, the son of Bichri, will do us more damage than Absalom did; so take some of your lord's servants and go after him, before he makes himself safe in the walled towns, and gets away before our eyes.

And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba' the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Abshalom: take thou the servants of thy Lord, and pursue after him, lest he succeed in reaching fortified cities, and withdraw himself from our eyes.

7 So there went after Abishai, Joab and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the fighting-men; they went out of Jerusalem to overtake Sheba, the son of Bichri.

And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Kerethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went forth out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba' the son of Bichri.

8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came face to face with them. Now Joab had on his war-dress, and round him a band from which his sword was hanging in its cover; and while he was walking, it came out, falling to the earth.

They were close by the great stone which is at Gib'on, as 'Amassa came before them. And Joab was girded with his coat, his [usual] garment, and upon it the girdle of the sword which was fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

9 And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well, my brother? And with his right hand he took him by the hair of his chin to give him a kiss.

And Joab said to 'Amassa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab's right hand took hold of 'Amassa's beard to kiss him.

10 But Amasa did not see danger from the sword which was now in Joab's left hand, and Joab put it through his stomach so that his inside came out on to the earth, and he did not give him another blow. So Joab and his brother Abishai went on after Sheba, the son of Bichri.

And 'Amassa did not guard himself against the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. But Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba' the son of Bichri.

11 And one of Joab's young men, taking his place at Amasa's side, said, Whoever is for Joab and for David, let him go after Joab!

And one man of Joab's people remained standing by him, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, follow Joab.

12 And Amasa was stretched out in a pool of blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people were stopping, he took Amasa out of the highway and put him in a field, with a cloth over him, when he saw that everyone who went by came to a stop.

And 'Amassa was wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he put 'Amassa aside out of the highway into the field, and threw a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

13 When he had been taken off the road, all the people went on after Joab in search of Sheba, the son of Bichri.

When he was removed out of the highway, every man passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba' the son of Bichri.

14 And Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel, to Abel of Beth-maacah; and all the Bichrites came together and went in after him.

And this one passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, which is of Beth-ma'achah, and all the Berim: and they assembled themselves together, and went also after him.

15 And Joab and his men got him shut up in Abel of Beth-maacah, and put up an earthwork against the town: and all Joab's men did their best to get the wall broken down.

And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-ma'achah, and they cast up a trench against the city, and it stood enclosed by the troops: and all the people that were with Joab were battering to throw down the wall.

16 Then a wise woman got up on the wall, and crying out from the town, said, Give ear, give ear; say now to Joab, Come near, so that I may have talk with you.

Then called a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near as far as hither, that I may speak with thee.

17 And he came near, and the woman said, Are you Joab? And he said in answer, I am. Then she said, Give ear to your servant's words. And he said, I am giving ear.

And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I am. Then said she unto him, Hear the words of thy hand-maid. And he said, I do hear.

18 Then she said, In the old days, there was a saying, Let them put the question in Abel and in Dan, saying, Has what was ordered by men of good faith in Israel ever come to an end?

Then said she, thus, They ought surely first to have spoken, saying, “Let them ask at least in Abel:” and so would they have come to an end.

19 Your purpose is the destruction of a mother-town in Israel: why would you put an end to the heritage of the Lord?

I am one of the peaceful and faithful [cities] in Israel; thou seekest to overthrow a city and a metropolis in Israel: why wilt thou destroy the inheritance of the Lord?

20 And Joab, answering her, said, Far, far be it from me to be a cause of death or destruction;

And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should destroy or ruin.

21 Not so: but a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba, son of Bichri, by name, has taken up arms against the king, against David: give up this man only, and I will go away from the town. And the woman said to Joab, His head will be dropped over the wall to you.

The matter is not so; but a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba' the son of Bichri is his name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be cast down to thee over the wall.

22 Then the woman in her wisdom had talk with all the town. And they had Sheba's head cut off and sent out to Joab. And he had the horn sounded, and sent them all away from the town, every man to his tent. And Joab went back to Jerusalem to the king.

And the woman came unto all the people with her wisdom; and they cut off the head of Sheba' the son of Bichri, and cast it down to Joab: and he blew the cornet, and they scattered themselves from the city, every man to his tents. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the army; and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was at the head of the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benayah the son of Yehoyada' was over the Kerethites and over the Pelethites;

24 And Adoram was overseer of the forced work; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the recorder;

And Adoram was over the tribute; and Jehoshaphat the son of Achilud was recorder;

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

And Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Ebyathar were priests;

26 And in addition, Ira the Jairite was a priest to David.

And 'Ira also the Yairite was an officer of state unto David.