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!”

Then there was come thither a wicked man (named Sheba the sonne of Bichri, a man of Iemini) and hee blew the trumpet, and saide, Wee haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritance in the sonne of Ishai: euery man to his tents, O Israel.

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.

So euery man of Israel went from Dauid and followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri: but the men of Iudah claue fast vnto their King, from Iorden euen to Ierusalem.

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.

When Dauid then came to his house to Ierusalem, the King tooke the ten women his concubines, that hee had left behinde him to keepe the house, and put them in warde, and fed them, but lay no more with them: but they were enclosed vnto the day of their death, liuing in widowhode.

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

Then sayde the King to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Iudah within three dayes, and be thou here present.

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

So Amasa went to assemble Iudah, but hee taried longer then the time which he had appoynted 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.”

Then Dauid sayd to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the sonne of Bichri doe vs more harme then did Absalom: take thou therefore thy lords seruants and follow after him, lest he get him walled cities, and escape vs.

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 Ioabs men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mightie men: and they departed out of Ierusalem, to follow after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.

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.

When they were at the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them, and Ioabs garment, that hee had put on, was girded vnto him, and vpon it was a sword girded, which hanged on his loynes in the sheath, and as hee went, it vsed to fall out.

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

And Ioab sayde to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? and Ioab tooke Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kisse 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.

But Amasa tooke no heede to the sworde that was in Ioabs hande: for therewith he smote him in the fift rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and smote him not the second time: so he dyed. then Ioab and Abishai his brother followed after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.

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 one of Ioabs men stoode by him, and saide, He that fauoureth Ioab, and hee that is of Dauids part, let him go after Ioab.

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 Amasa wallowed in blood in the mids of the way: and when the man sawe that all the people stood still, he remooued Amasa out of the way into the fielde, and cast a cloth vpon him, because he saw that euery one that came by him, stoode still.

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

When hee was remoued out of the way, euerie man went after Ioab, to follow after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.

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 vnto Abel, and Bethmaachah and all places of Berim: and they gathered together, and went also 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,

So they came, and besieged him in Abel, neere to Bethmaachah: and they cast vp a mount against the citie, and the people thereof stood on the ramper, and al the people that was with Ioab, destroyed and cast downe 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.’”

Then cried a wise woman out of the citie, Heare, heare, I pray you, say vnto Ioab, Come thou hither, that I may speake with thee.

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 when hee came neere vnto her, the woman said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, Yea. And she said to him, Heare the wordes of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do heare.

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.

Then shee spake thus, They spake in the olde time, saying, They shoulde aske of Abel. and so haue they continued.

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 one of them, that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: and thou goest about to destroy a citie, and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou deuoure the inheritance of the Lord?

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

And Ioab answered, and said, God forbid, God forbid it me, that I should deuoure, or destroy it.

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.”

The matter is not so, but a man of mout Ephraim (Sheba ye sonne of Bichri by name) hath lift vp his had against ye King, euen against Dauid: deliuer vs him onely, and I will depart from the citie. And the woman saide vnto Ioab, Beholde, his head shalbe throwen to thee ouer 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.

Then the woman went vnto all the people with her wisedome, and they cut off the head of Sheba the sonne of Bichri, and cast it to Ioab: the he blewe the trumpet, and they retired from the citie, euery man to his tent: and Ioab returned to Ierusalem vnto the King.

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

Then Ioab was ouer all the hoste of Israel, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada ouer the Cherethites and ouer the Pelethies,

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

And Adoram ouer the tribute, and Ioshaphat the sonne of Ahilud the recorder,

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

And Sheia was Scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar the Priests,

26 and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

And also Ira the Iairite was chiefe about Dauid.