2 Samuel 20

1 And there he was met a man of worthlessness and name his [was] Sheba [the] son of Bicri a man a Jaminite and he gave a blast on the trumpet and he said not [belongs] to us a portion in David and not an inheritance [belongs] to us in [the] son of Jesse everyone to tents his 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 the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

2 And he went up every man of Israel from after David after Sheba [the] son of Bicri and [the] man of Judah they clung to king their from the Jordan and to Jerusalem.

So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 And he came David to house his Jerusalem and he took the king [the] ten women - concubines whom he had left to keep the house and he put them a house of confinement and he sustained them and into them not he went and they were locked up until [the] day died they widowhood of living.

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 provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 And he said the king to Amasa summon to me [the] man of Judah three days and you here stand.

Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be thou here present.

5 And he went Amasa to summon Judah (and he was delayed *Q(K)*) from the appointed time which he had appointed for him.

So Amasa went to call [the men of] Judah together: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 And he said David to Abishai now he will be bad for us Sheba [the] son of Bicri more than Absalom you take [the] servants of master your and pursue after him lest he has found for himself cities fortified and he will tear out eye our.

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 out of our sight.

7 And they went out after him [the] men of Joab and the Kerethite[s] and the Pelethite[s] and all the warriors and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba [the] son of Bicri.

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 They [were] near the stone great which [is] in Gibeon and Amasa he came before them and Joab [was] girded - robe his clothing his (and over it *Q(k)*) a belt of a sword [was] fastened on loins his in sheath its and he he went forward and it fell.

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

9 And he said Joab to Amasa ¿ peace [are] you O brother my and it took hold [the] hand of [the] right of Joab on [the] beard of Amasa to kiss him.

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

10 And Amasa not he took heed to the sword - which [was] in [the] hand of Joab and he struck him with it into the belly and he poured out bowels his [the] ground towards and not he repeated to him and he died. And Joab and Abishai brother his he pursued after Sheba [the] son of Bicri.

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the belly, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 And a man he stood over him one of [the] young men of Joab and he said who? [is [the] one] who he delights in Joab and who? [is [the] one] who [belongs] to David after Joab.

And there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.

12 And Amasa [was] wallowing in blood in [the] middle of (the highway *LA(bh)*) and he saw the man that it stopped all the people and he brought round Amasa from the highway the field and he threw over him a garment when he saw all who came on him and he stopped.

And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

13 When he had removed [him] from the highway he passed by every person after Joab to pursue after Sheba [the] son of Bicri.

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 in all [the] tribes of Israel Abel towards and Beth Maacah and all the Berites. (And they assembled *Q(K)*) and they went also after him.

And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.

15 And they came and they laid siege on him in Abel Beth Maacah and they poured out a mound against the city and it stood by the rampart and all the people which [was] with Joab [were] about to destroy to make fall the wall.

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

16 And she called out a woman wise from the city listen listen say please to Joab draw near to here so let me speak to you.

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 And he drew near to her and she said the woman ¿ [are] you Joab and he said I [am] and she said to him listen to [the] words of maidservant your and he said [am] listening I.

And he came near unto her, and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

18 And she said saying surely they spoke at the former [time] saying certainly they will ask at Abel and thus they ceased.

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] [the] peaceful [ones] of [the] faithful [ones] of Israel you [are] seeking to kill a city and a mother in Israel why? will you swallow up [the] inheritance of Yahweh.

I am 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 And he answered Joab and he said far be it far be it to me if I will swallow up and if I will destroy.

And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 [is] not So the matter for a man from [the] hill country of Ephraim [who is] Sheba [the] son of Bicri name his he has lifted up hand his against the king against David give him to only him so let me go from on the city and she said the woman to Joab here! head his [is] about to be thrown to you behind the wall.

The matter is not so: but a man of the hill country of 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 And she went the woman to all the people with wisdom her and they cut off [the] head of Sheba [the] son of Bicri and they threw [it] to Joab and he gave a blast on the trumpet and they were scattered from on the city each to tents his and Joab he returned Jerusalem to 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 threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

23 And Joab [was] to all the army of Israel and Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada [was] over (the Kerethite[s] *Q(K)*) and over the Pelethite[s].

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 Adoram [was] over the forced labor and Jehoshaphat [the] son of Ahilud [was] the recorder.

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

25 (And Sheva *Q(K)*) [was] secretary and Zadok and Abiathar [were] priests.

and Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were priests:

26 And also Ira the Jairite he was a priest of David.

and Ira also the Jairite was priest unto David.