Kings II 20

1 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.

Now, in that place, there happened to be an abandoned man, whose name, was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin, —so he blew a horn, and said—We have no share in David, Nor inheritance have we in the son of Jesse, Every man to his home, O Israel!

2 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.

Then went up all the men of Israel from following David, to follow Sheba son of Bichri, —but, the men of Judah, clave unto their king, from the Jordan, even as far as Jerusalem.

3 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.

And David entered into his own house, in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and sustained them, but, unto them, went he not in, —so they were shut up until the day of their death, in lifelong widowhood.

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

Then said the king unto Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah, within three days, —and, thou, here, take thy stand!

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

So Amasa went, to assemble Judah, —but he tarried beyond the fixed time, which he had appointed him.

6 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.

Then said David unto Abishai, Now, shall Sheba son of Bichri, do us more harm than Absolom, —thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue him, lest he have got him into fortified cities, and so have escaped our eye.

7 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.

Then went out after him—the men of Joab, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, —and they went out from Jerusalem, to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

8 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.

When, they, were by the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa, had arrived before them. Now, Joab, was girded about with his war-coat as his upper garment, and, over it, a girdle with a sword, fastened upon his loins, in the sheath thereof, and, it, came out and fell.

9 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.

Then said Joab unto Amasa, Art thou, well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand, to kiss him.

10 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.

Amasa not heeding the sword that was in the hand of Joab, he smote him therewith in the belly, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and [struck] him not again, and he died. So, Joab and Abishai his brother, pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

11 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?

Now, a man, stood over him, of the young men of Joab, —and said—Whosoever is well pleased with Joab, and whosoever pertaineth to David, let him follow Joab.

12 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.

But, Amasa, was wallowing in blood, in the midst of the highway, —and, when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa, out of the highway into the field, and cast over him a garment, as soon as he saw that every man that came up to him stood still.

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

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

14 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.

And he passed on throughout all the tribes of Israel, unto Abel and unto Beth-maachah, and all the Berites, —and they were called together, and came in, yea and followed him.

15 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.

So they came, and laid siege against him, in Abel, Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, so that it stood within a rampart, —and, all the people who were with Joab, were battering the wall to throw it down.

16 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.

Then cried a wise woman out of the city, —Hear ye! hear ye! I pray you, say unto Joab, Come near hither, and let me speak unto thee.

17 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.

So he came near unto her, and the woman said, —Art thou Joab? And he said, —I am. And she said unto him, —Hear thou the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I do hear.

18 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.

Then spake she, saying, —They, used to speak, in former times, saying, Enquire, in Abel! And, so, they ended it.

19 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?

I, am of the peaceable among the faithful in Israel, —thou, art seeking to put to death a city, and a mother in Israel, wherefore wouldst thou swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?

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

Then answered Joab and said, —Far be it! far be it from me! I will neither swallow up nor lay waste.

21 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.

Not so, is the matter! but, a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri, his name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David, give up him alone, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Lo! his head, shall be cast unto thee, through the wall.

22 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.

So the woman came unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it out unto Joab. And he blew with a horn, and they dispersed themselves from the city, every man to his home; but, Joab, returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

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

And, Joab, was [restored] unto all the army of Israel, —And, Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,

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

And, Adoniram, was over the tribute, —And, Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the remembrancer;

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

And, Sheva, was scribe, —And, Zadok and Abiathar, were priests;

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

Moreover also, Ira the Jairite, was chief ruler unto David.