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!

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name [was] Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every 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 every man of Israel went up from after David, [and] followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

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.

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

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

Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, 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 [the men of] Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed 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.

And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

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 Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son 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 Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle [with] a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell 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 Joab said to Amasa, [Art] thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss 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 took no heed to 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. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son 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 Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that [is] for David, [let him go] after Joab.

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 midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

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

When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son 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 unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were 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.

And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that [were] with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

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 city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak 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 he was come near unto her, the woman said, [Art] thou Joab? And he answered, I [am he]. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

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

Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].

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: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up 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 Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

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 mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, [even] against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over 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 unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast [it] out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto 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,

Now Joab [was] over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

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

And Adoram [was] over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder:

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

And Sheva [was] scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests:

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

And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.