2 Samuel 20

1 Now there happened to be a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bikri, a Benjamite. And he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no share in David, nor do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel."

And it happened that there was, in that place, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he sounded the trumpet, and he said: “There is no portion for us in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your own tents, O Israel.”

2 So all Israel deserted David and followed Sheba the son of Bikri, but the men of Judah stayed by their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

And all of Israel separated from David, and they were following Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.

3 Then David came to his palace at Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women his secondary wives, whom he had left to keep the palace, and placed them under guard, and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were kept in confinement until the day of their death, living as widows.

And when the king had entered his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women concubines, whom he had left behind to care for the house, and he put them into custody, allowing them provisions. But he did not enter to them. Instead, they were enclosed, even until the day of their deaths, living as widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to me within three days, and be present here yourself."

Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon to me all the men of Judah on the third day, and you shall be present also.”

5 So Amasa went to summon Judah together, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been allotted him.

Therefore, Amasa went away, so that he might summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the agreed time that the king had appointed to him.

6 David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Now then, take your lord's servants with you and pursue after him, otherwise he will get himself to fortified cities and escape from us."

And David said to Abishai: “Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, will afflict us more so than Absalom did. Therefore, take the servants of your lord, and pursue him, otherwise he may find fortified cities, and escape from us.”

7 So there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the warriors. And they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

And so, the men of Joab departed with him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And all the able-bodied men went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri.

8 When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was wearing his military attire, and over it was a belt with a dagger in its sheath fastened at his waist, and as he advanced it fell out.

And when they were beside the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a close-fitting coat of equal length with his garment. And over these, he was girded with a sword hanging down to his thigh, in a scabbard which was made so that the sword could be removed with the least motion, and then strike.

9 And Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

Then Joab said to Amasa, “Be well, my brother.” And he held Amasa by the chin with his right hand, as if to kiss him.

10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he stabbed him with it in the abdomen, so that his intestines spilled out on the ground, and he did not do it to him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

But Amasa did not notice the sword that Joab had. And he struck him in the side, and his intestines poured out to the ground. And he did not inflict a second wound, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri.

11 And one of Joab's young men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever is the one that favors Joab and whoever belongs to David, follow Joab."

Meanwhile, certain men, from the company of Joab, when they had stopped beside the dead body of Amasa, said: “Behold, the one who wished to be in the place of Joab, the companion of David.”

12 But Amasa lay covered with his blood in the midst of the road, and anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. So when the man saw that all the people stopped, he dragged Amasa from the road into a field and threw a garment over him.

Now Amasa was covered with blood, and was lying in the middle of the road. A certain man saw this, with all the people standing nearby to look at him, and he removed Amasa from the road into a field. And he covered him with a garment, so that those passing by would not stop because of him.

13 When he was removed from the road, all the people followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bikri.

Then, when he had been removed from the road, all the men continued on, following Joab in the pursuit of Sheba, the son of Bichri.

14 He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and all the Bikrites assembled and followed him.

Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel into Abel and Bethmaacah. And all the elect men had gathered together to him.

15 And all the people who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah. And they built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall so that it would collapse.

And so, they went and besieged him at Abel and Bethmaacah. And they surrounded the city with siege works, and the city was blockaded. Then the entire crowd who were with Joab strove to destroy the walls.

16 Then a wise woman called out from the wall, "Listen, listen. Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak to him.

And a wise woman exclaimed from the city: “Listen, listen, and say to Joab: Draw near, and I will speak with you.”

17 So he approached her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he replied, "I am." Then she said, "Listen to the words of your servant." And he replied, "I'm listening."

And when he had drawn near to her, she said to him, “Are you Joab?” And he responded, “I am.” And she spoke in this way to him, “Listen to the words of your handmaid.” He responded, “I am listening.”

18 Then she said, "In the past they used to say, 'Let them inquire in Abel and in Dan whether

And again she spoke: “A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion.

19 that which the faithful of Israel established has been carried out.' You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of YHWH?"

Am I not the one who responds with the truth in Israel? And yet you are seeking to overthrow the city, and to overturn a mother in Israel! Why would you cast down the inheritance of the Lord?”

20 Joab answered, "Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.

And responding, Joab said: “May this be far, may this be far from me! May I not cast down, and may I not demolish.

21 That is not the case. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bikri, has rebelled against king David. Give up him alone and I will withdraw from the city." Then the woman said to Joab, "Look, his head will be thrown to you from the wall."

The matter is not as you said. Rather, a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver him alone, and we will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown down to you from the wall.’

22 Then she spoke to all the city with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from him, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to Jerusalem to the king.

Therefore, she entered to all the people, and she spoke to them wisely. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and they threw it down to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each one to his own tent. But Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was in command of the entire army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and in command of the Pelethites;

Thus Joab was over the entire army of Israel. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cerethites and Phelethites.

24 and Adoniram was in command of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

Yet truly, Adoram was over the tributes. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records.

25 and Shisha was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

Now Sheva was the scribe. And truly Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.

26 and also Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

But Ira, the Jairite, was the priest of David.