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."

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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

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

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.

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."

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

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?"

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

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."

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.

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;

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

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

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