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 he was met a man of worthlessness and name his [was] Sheba [the] son of Bicri a man a Jaminite and he gave a blast on the trumpet and he said not [belongs] to us a portion in David and not an inheritance [belongs] to us in [the] son of Jesse everyone to tents his 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.

And he went up every man of Israel from after David after Sheba [the] son of Bicri and [the] man of Judah they clung to king their from the Jordan and 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 he came David to house his Jerusalem and he took the king [the] ten women - concubines whom he had left to keep the house and he put them a house of confinement and he sustained them and into them not he went and they were locked up until [the] day died they widowhood of living.

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 he said the king to Amasa summon to me [the] man of Judah three days and you here stand.

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

And he went Amasa to summon Judah (and he was delayed *Q(K)*) from the appointed time which he had appointed for 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 he said David to Abishai now he will be bad for us Sheba [the] son of Bicri more than Absalom you take [the] servants of master your and pursue after him lest he has found for himself cities fortified and he will tear out eye our.

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 they went out after him [the] men of Joab and the Kerethite[s] and the Pelethite[s] and all the warriors and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba [the] son of Bicri.

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.

They [were] near the stone great which [is] in Gibeon and Amasa he came before them and Joab [was] girded - robe his clothing his (and over it *Q(k)*) a belt of a sword [was] fastened on loins his in sheath its and he he went forward and it 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 he said Joab to Amasa ¿ peace [are] you O brother my and it took hold [the] hand of [the] right of Joab on [the] beard of Amasa 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 Amasa not he took heed to the sword - which [was] in [the] hand of Joab and he struck him with it into the belly and he poured out bowels his [the] ground towards and not he repeated to him and he died. And Joab and Abishai brother his he pursued after Sheba [the] son of Bicri.

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 a man he stood over him one of [the] young men of Joab and he said who? [is [the] one] who he delights in Joab and who? [is [the] one] who [belongs] to David after 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 Amasa [was] wallowing in blood in [the] middle of (the highway *LA(bh)*) and he saw the man that it stopped all the people and he brought round Amasa from the highway the field and he threw over him a garment when he saw all who came on him and he stopped.

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

When he had removed [him] from the highway he passed by every person after Joab to pursue after Sheba [the] son of Bicri.

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 passed in all [the] tribes of Israel Abel towards and Beth Maacah and all the Berites. (And they assembled *Q(K)*) and they 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,

And they came and they laid siege on him in Abel Beth Maacah and they poured out a mound against the city and it stood by the rampart and all the people which [was] with Joab [were] about to destroy to make fall 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 she called out a woman wise from the city listen listen say please to Joab draw near to here so let me speak to you.

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 she said the woman ¿ [are] you Joab and he said I [am] and she said to him listen to [the] words of maidservant your and he said [am] listening I.

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 said saying surely they spoke at the former [time] saying certainly they will ask at Abel and thus they ceased.

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] [the] peaceful [ones] of [the] faithful [ones] of Israel you [are] seeking to kill a city and a mother in Israel why? will you swallow up [the] inheritance of Yahweh.

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

And he answered Joab and he said far be it far be it to me if I will swallow up and if I will 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 So the matter for a man from [the] hill country of Ephraim [who is] Sheba [the] son of Bicri name his he has lifted up hand his against the king against David give him to only him so let me go from on the city and she said the woman to Joab here! head his [is] about to be thrown to you behind 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 she went the woman to all the people with wisdom her and they cut off [the] head of Sheba [the] son of Bicri and they threw [it] to Joab and he gave a blast on the trumpet and they were scattered from on the city each to tents his and Joab he returned 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] to all the army of Israel and Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada [was] over (the Kerethite[s] *Q(K)*) and over the Pelethite[s].

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

And Adoram [was] over the forced labor and Jehoshaphat [the] son of Ahilud [was] the recorder.

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

(And Sheva *Q(K)*) [was] secretary and Zadok and Abiathar [were] priests.

26 and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

And also Ira the Jairite he was a priest of David.