2 Samuel 20

1 A rabble-rouser called Sheba, son of Bichri, from the tribe of Benjamin, happened to be there. He blew the ram's horn and shouted: “We have no interest in David, no commitment to Jesse's son. Israelites, let's all go home!”

And there was a transgressor [so] called there, and his name was Sabee, a Benjamite, the son of Bochori: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we [any] inheritance in the son of Jessae: to your tents, O Israel, every one.

2 So all the men of Israel abandoned David to follow Sheba, son of Bichri. But the men of Judah accompanied their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

And all the men of Israel went up from following David after Sabee the son of Bochori: but the men of Juda adhered to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace and put them in a house under guard. He took care of their needs but he didn't sleep with them. They were imprisoned until they died, living like widows.

And David went into his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a place of custody, and maintained them, and went not in to them; and they were kept living as widows, till the day of their death.

4 Then the king ordered Amasa, “Call up the army of Judah. Have them come to me within three days, and you come too.”

And the king said to Amessai, Call to me the men of Juda for three days, and do you be present here.

5 Amasa called up the army of Judah, but he took longer than the time he was given.

And Amessai went to call Juda, and delayed beyond the time which David appointed him.

6 David then spoke to Abishai, saying, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri is going to cause us more trouble than Absalom did. Take the king's men and chase him down, or he will take over fortified towns and get away from us.”

And David said to Amessai, Now shall Sabee the son of Bochori do us more harm than Abessalom: now then take you with you the servants of your lord, and follow after him, lest he find for himself strong cities, so will he blind our eyes.

7 So Joab's men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the experienced fighters, marched out of Jerusalem to chase down Sheba, son of Bichri.

And there went out after him Amessai and the men of Joab, and the Cherethites, and the Phelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sabee the son of Bochori.

8 While they were at the large rock in Gibeon, Amasa caught up with them. Joab was dressed for battle. Over his clothes was a belt around his waist with a dagger in its sheath. As he moved forward, it fell out.

And they [were] by the great stone that is in Gabaon: and Amessai went in before them: and Joab had upon him a military cloak over his apparel, and over it he was girded with a dagger fastened upon his loins in its scabbard: and the dagger came out, it even came out and fell.

9 “How are you doing, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. Joab held Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

And Joab said to Amessai, Are you in health, [my] brother? and the right hand of Joab took hold of the beard of Amessai to kiss him.

10 Amasa wasn't prepared for the dagger in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed him in the belly and his intestines poured out onto the ground. Joab didn't need to stab him twice, because Amasa was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai set off in pursuit of Sheba.

And Amessai observed not the dagger that was in the hand of Joab: and Joab struck him with it on the loins, and his bowels were shed out upon the ground, and he did not repeat the blow, and he died: and Joab and Abessai his brother pursued after Sabee the son of Bochori.

11 One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and called out, “If you're on Joab's side, and if you are on David's side, then follow Joab!”

And there stood over him one of the servants of Joab, and said, Who [is] he that is for Joab, and who [is] on the side of David following Joab?

12 But Amasa was there, lying in his blood in the middle of the main road. When the man saw that everybody was stopping to look, he pulled the body off the road into a field and threw a cloth over it.

And Amessai [was] weltering in blood in the midst of the way. And a man saw that all the people stood still; and he removed Amessai out of the path into a field, and he cast a garment upon him, because he saw every one that came to him standing still.

13 Once Amasa's body was off the road, all the men followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba.

And when he was quickly removed from the road, every man of Israel passed after Joab to pursue after Sabee the son of Bochori.

14 In the meantime Sheba had gone around all the tribes of Israel and eventually ended up the town of Abel-beth-maacah. All the Bichrites gathered for battle and followed him into the town.

And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Bethmacha; and all in Charri too were assembled, and followed after him.

15 Joab's army came and besieged Sheba in Abel-Beth-Maacah. They built a siege ramp against the town's outer wall. While all of Joab's army was battering the wall to knock it down,

And they came and besieged him in Abel and Phermacha: and they raised a mound against the city and it stood close to the wall; and all the people with Joab proposed to throw down the wall.

16 a wise woman from the town called out, “Listen! Please listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come over here so I can speak to you.’”

And a wise woman cried from the wall, and said, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab, Draw near hither, and I will speak to him.

17 He went over to her, and the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “Yes, that's me,” he replied. “Please listen to what I, your servant, have to say,” she said. “I'm listening,” he replied.

And he drew near to her, and the woman said to him, Are you Joab? and he said, I [am]. And she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid; and Joab said, I do hear.

18 Then the woman said, “In times gone by people used to say, ‘If you want advice, go to Abel,’ and that's how arguments were settled.

And she spoke, saying, Of old time they said thus, Surely one was asked in Abel, and Dan, whether the faithful in Israel failed in what they purposed; they will surely ask in Abel, even in like manner, whether they have failed.

19 I am one of the peaceful and faithful people of Israel. You're trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel. Why do you want to tear down the Lord's possession?”

I am a peaceful one of the strong ones in Israel; but you seek to destroy a city and a mother city in Israel: why do you seek to ruin the inheritance of the Lord?

20 “Certainly not!” Joab answered. “It's not what I want—to destroy or tear down this town!

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

21 That's not the intention. But a man called Sheba, son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has rebelled against the king, against David. Just hand over this one man and I will withdraw from the town.” “Fine,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown over the wall to you.”

Is not the case thus, that a man of mount Ephraim, Sabee, son of Bochori by name, has even lifted up his hand against king David? Give him only to me, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.

22 The woman went and talked with everyone about her wise plan. So they cut off the head of Sheba and threw it to Joab. Then Joab blew the ram's horn to sound the retreat, and all his men left the town and went home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

And the woman went in to all the people, and she spoke to all the city in her wisdom; and they took off the head of Sabee the son of Bochori; and took it away and threw it to Joab: and he blew the trumpet, and the people separated from the city away from him, every man to his tent: and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Joab commanded the whole army of Israel. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites.

And Joab [was] over all the forces of Israel: and Banaias the son of Jodae [was] over the Cherethites and over the Phelethites.

24 Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, kept the official records.

And Adoniram [was] over the tribute: and Josaphath the son of Achiluth [was] recorder.

25 Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests,

And Susa [was] scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar [were] priests.

26 and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

Moreover Iras the [son of] Iarin was priest to David.