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!

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 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.

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

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

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 Judah, —but he tarried beyond the fixed time, which he 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 'Amassa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab's right hand took hold of 'Amassa's beard 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 '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.

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 one man of Joab's people remained standing by him, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, follow 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 '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.

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

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

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 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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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 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 destroy or ruin.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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