2 Samuel 20

1 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!

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

6 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

21 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.

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 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.

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 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benayah the son of Yehoyada' was over the Kerethites and over the 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 And Adoram was over the tribute; and Jehoshaphat the son of Achilud was recorder;

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

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

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

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

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