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 happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Seba, the son of Bochri, a man of Jemini: and he sounded the trumpet, and said: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai: return to thy dwellings, O Israel.

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 Israel departed from David, and followed Seba the son of Bochri: but the men of Juda stuck to their king from the Jordan unto 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 when the king was come into his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, allowing them provisions: and he went not in unto them, but they were shut up unto the day of their death living in widowhood.

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 Amasa: Assemble to me all the men of Juda against the third day, and be thou here present.

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

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Juda, but he tarried beyond the set time which the king had 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 Abisai: Now will Seba the son of Bochri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou therefore the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he find fenced cities, and escape us.

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.

So Joab’s men went out with him, and the Cerethi and the Phelethi: and all the valiant men went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.

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 when they were at the great stone which is in Gabaon, Amasa coming met them. And Joab had on a close coat of equal length with his habit, and over it was girded with a sword hanging down to his flank, in a scabbard, made in such manner as to come out with the least motion and strike.

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 Amasa: God save thee, my brother. And he took Amasa by the chin with his right hand 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.

But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab had, and he struck him in the side, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and gave him not a second wound, and he died. And Joab, and Abisai his brother pursued after Seba the son of Bochri.

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.

In the mean time some men of Joab’s company stopping at the dead body of Amasa, said: Behold he that would have been in Joab’s stead the companion of David.

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 Amasa imbrued with blood, lay in the midst of the way. A certain man saw this that all the people stood still to look upon him, so he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and covered him with a garment, that they who passed might not stop on his account.

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 removed out of the way, all the people went on following Joab to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.

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.

Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela and Bethmaacha: and all the chosen men were gathered together unto 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 Abela, and in Bethmaacha, and they cast up works round the city, and the city was besieged: and all the people that were with Joab, laboured to throw down the walls.

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 out from the city: Hear, hear, and say to Joab: Come near hither, and I will speak with thee.

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 when he was come near to her, she said to him: Art thou Joab? And he answered: I am. And she spoke thus to him: Hear the words of thy handmaid. He answered: 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 again said: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end.

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?

Am not I she that answer truth in Israel, and thou seekest to destroy the city, and to overthrow a mother in Israel? Why wilt thou throw down 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 answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I do not throw down, nor 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.

The matter is not so, but a man of mount Ephraim, Seba the son of Bochri by name, hath lifted up his hand against king David: deliver him only, and we will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab: Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from 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.

So she went to all the people, and spoke to them wisely: and they cut off the head of Seba the son of Bochri, and cast it out to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they departed from the city, every one to their home: 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;

So Joab was over all the army of Israel: and Banaias the son of Joiada was over the Cerethites and Phelethites,

24 And Adoram was over the tribute; and Jehoshaphat the son of Achilud was recorder;

But Aduram over the tributes: and Josaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.

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

And Siva was scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar, priests.

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

And Ira the Jairite was the priest of David.