2 Samuel 20

1 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!

Then there was come thither a wicked man (named Sheba the sonne of Bichri, a man of Iemini) and hee blew the trumpet, and saide, Wee haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritance in the sonne of Ishai: euery man to his tents, O Israel.

2 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.

So euery man of Israel went from Dauid and followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri: but the men of Iudah claue fast vnto their King, from Iorden euen to Ierusalem.

3 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.

When Dauid then came to his house to Ierusalem, the King tooke the ten women his concubines, that hee had left behinde him to keepe the house, and put them in warde, and fed them, but lay no more with them: but they were enclosed vnto the day of their death, liuing in widowhode.

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

Then sayde the King to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Iudah within three dayes, and be thou here present.

5 So Amasa went, to assemble Judah, —but he tarried beyond the fixed time, which he had appointed him.

So Amasa went to assemble Iudah, but hee taried longer then the time which he had appoynted him.

6 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.

Then Dauid sayd to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the sonne of Bichri doe vs more harme then did Absalom: take thou therefore thy lords seruants and follow after him, lest he get him walled cities, and escape vs.

7 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.

And there went out after him Ioabs men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mightie men: and they departed out of Ierusalem, to follow after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.

8 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.

When they were at the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them, and Ioabs garment, that hee had put on, was girded vnto him, and vpon it was a sword girded, which hanged on his loynes in the sheath, and as hee went, it vsed to fall out.

9 Then said Joab unto Amasa, Art thou, well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand, to kiss him.

And Ioab sayde to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? and Ioab tooke Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kisse him.

10 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.

But Amasa tooke no heede to the sworde that was in Ioabs hande: for therewith he smote him in the fift rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and smote him not the second time: so he dyed. then Ioab and Abishai his brother followed after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.

11 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.

And one of Ioabs men stoode by him, and saide, He that fauoureth Ioab, and hee that is of Dauids part, let him go after Ioab.

12 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.

And Amasa wallowed in blood in the mids of the way: and when the man sawe that all the people stood still, he remooued Amasa out of the way into the fielde, and cast a cloth vpon him, because he saw that euery one that came by him, stoode still.

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

When hee was remoued out of the way, euerie man went after Ioab, to follow after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.

14 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.

And he went through all the tribes of Israel vnto Abel, and Bethmaachah and all places of Berim: and they gathered together, and went also after him.

15 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.

So they came, and besieged him in Abel, neere to Bethmaachah: and they cast vp a mount against the citie, and the people thereof stood on the ramper, and al the people that was with Ioab, destroyed and cast downe the wall.

16 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.

Then cried a wise woman out of the citie, Heare, heare, I pray you, say vnto Ioab, Come thou hither, that I may speake with thee.

17 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.

And when hee came neere vnto her, the woman said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, Yea. And she said to him, Heare the wordes of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do heare.

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

Then shee spake thus, They spake in the olde time, saying, They shoulde aske of Abel. and so haue they continued.

19 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?

I am one of them, that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: and thou goest about to destroy a citie, and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou deuoure the inheritance of the Lord?

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

And Ioab answered, and said, God forbid, God forbid it me, that I should deuoure, or destroy it.

21 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.

The matter is not so, but a man of mout Ephraim (Sheba ye sonne of Bichri by name) hath lift vp his had against ye King, euen against Dauid: deliuer vs him onely, and I will depart from the citie. And the woman saide vnto Ioab, Beholde, his head shalbe throwen to thee ouer the wall.

22 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.

Then the woman went vnto all the people with her wisedome, and they cut off the head of Sheba the sonne of Bichri, and cast it to Ioab: the he blewe the trumpet, and they retired from the citie, euery man to his tent: and Ioab returned to Ierusalem vnto the King.

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

Then Ioab was ouer all the hoste of Israel, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada ouer the Cherethites and ouer the Pelethies,

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

And Adoram ouer the tribute, and Ioshaphat the sonne of Ahilud the recorder,

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

And Sheia was Scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar the Priests,

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

And also Ira the Iairite was chiefe about Dauid.