2 Samuel 20

1 There also happened to be at the same place a troublemaker whose name was Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite. He blew the trumpet and said, “We have no part in David, neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Let every man go back to his home, Israel.”

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.

2 So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah followed closely their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.

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.

3 When David came to his palace at Jerusalem, he took the ten slave wives whom he had left to keep the palace, and he put them in a house under guard. He provided for their needs, but he did not sleep with them any longer. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living as if they were widows.

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.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together within three days; you must be here, too.”

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

5 So Amasa went to call Judah, but he was delayed beyond the time that the king had allotted for him.

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

6 So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's servants, my soldiers, and pursue after him, or he will find fortified cities and escape out of our sight.”

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.

7 Then Joab's men went out after him, along with the Kerethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty warriors. They left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

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.

8 When they were at the great stone which is at Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing the battle armor that he had put on, which included a belt around his waist with a sheathed sword fastened to it. As he walked forward, the sword fell out.

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.

9 So Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my cousin?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

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.

10 Amasa did not notice the dagger that was in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed Amasa in the stomach and his bowels spilled out to the ground. Joab did not strike him again, and Amasa died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

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.

11 Then one of Joab's men stood by Amasa, and the man said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab.”

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.

12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa off of the road and into a field. He threw a garment over him because he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

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.

13 After Amasa was taken off the road, all the men followed on after Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bikri.

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

14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and through all the land of the Bikrites, who gathered together and also pursued Sheba.

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.

15 They caught up with him and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They built up a siege ramp against the city against the wall. All the army who were with Joab battered the wall to knock it down.

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.

16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Listen, please listen, Joab! Come near me so I may speak with you.”

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.

17 So Joab came near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He answered, “I am listening.”

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.

18 Then she spoke, “They used to say in old times, 'Surely seek advice at Abel,' and that advice would end the matter.

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

19 We are a city that is one of the most peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?”

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.

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

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.

21 That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba son of Bikri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

[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.

22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew the trumpet and Joab's men left the city, every man to his home. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

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.

23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and over the Pelethites.

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].

24 Adoniram was over the men who did forced labor, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.

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

25 Sheva was scribe and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

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

26 Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.

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