2 Samuel 20

1 Also it bifelde, that a man of Belial was there, Siba bi name, the sone of Bothri, a man of the generacioun of Gemyny; and he sownede with a clarioun, and seide, No part is to vs in Dauid, nether eritage in the sone of Ysai; thou, Israel, turne ayen in to thi tabernaclis.

There happened to be there a wicked fellow, 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, Israel!”

2 And al Israel was departid fro Dauid, and suede Siba, the sone of Bothri; forsothe the men of Juda cleuyden to her kyng, fro Jordan `til 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 joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 And whanne the kyng hadde come in to his hows in Jerusalem, he took ten wymmen, hise secundarie wyues, whiche he hadde left to kepe the hous, and he bitook hem in to keping, and yaf mete to hem; and he entride not to hem; but thei weren closid `til to the dai of her deeth, and lyueden in widewehed.

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 custody and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Forsothe Dauid seide to Amasa, Clepe thou to gidere to me alle the men of Juda in to the thridde dai, and be thou present.

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

5 Therfor Amasa yede, that he clepe to gidere the puple of Juda; and he dwellide ouer the couenaunt, which the kyng hadde set to hym.

So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he stayed longer than the set time which had been appointed to him.

6 Sotheli Dauid seide to Abisai, Now Siba, the sone of Botri, schal turmente vs more than Absolon dide; therfor take the seruauntis of thi lord, and pursue hym, lest in hap he fynde strengthid citees, and ascape vs.

David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”

7 Therfor the men of Joab yeden out with Abisai, and Cerethi and Ferethi, and alle stronge men yeden out of Jerusalem to pursue Siba, the sone of Bochry.

Joab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 And whanne thei weren bisidis the greet stoon, which is in Gabaon, Amasa cam, and ran to hem; forsothe Joab was clothid with a streit coote at the mesure of his abit, and was gird aboue with a swerd, `ether dagger, hangynge doun `til to the entrayls in a schethe, `which swerd maad `craftily myyte go out bi liyt touchyng, and smyte. Therfor Joab seide to Amasa,

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out.

9 Heil, my brother! And he helde with the riyt hond the chyn of Amasa, as kissinge him.

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

10 Forsothe Amasa took not kepe of the swerd, `which swerd Joab hadde, and Joab smoot Amasa in the side, and schedde out his entrailis in to the erthe, and Amasa was deed; and Joab addide not `the secounde wounde. Forsothe Joab and Abisai, his brother, pursueden Siba, the sone of Bochri.

But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 In the meene tyme whanne `sum men of the children of Dauid, of the felowis of Joab, hadden stonde bisidis the deed bodi of Amasa, thei seiden, Lo! he that wolde be the felowe of Dauid for Joab.

One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favours Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”

12 Forsothe Amasa was bispreynt with blood, and lay in the myddil of the weie. Sum man siy this, that al the puple abood to se Amasa, and he remouyde Amasa fro the weie in to the feeld, and he hilide Amasa with a cloth, lest men passynge schulden abide for hym.

Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. 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 everyone who came by him stood still.

13 Therfor whanne he was remouyd fro the weie, ech man passide suynge Joab to pursue Siba, the sone of Bochri.

When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 Forsothe Siba hadde passide bi alle the lynagis of Israel til in to Habela, and in to Bethmacha; and alle chosun men weren gaderid to hym.

He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him.

15 Therfor thei camen, and fouyten ayens hym in Habela, and in Bethmacha, and cumpassiden the citee with strengthingis; and the citee was bisegid. Sotheli al the cumpany, that was with Joab, enforside to distrie the wallis.

They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

16 And a wijs womman of the citee criede an hiy, Here ye! here ye! seie ye to Joab, Neiye thou hidur, and Y schal speke with thee.

Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”

17 And whanne he hadde neiyed to hir, sche seide to hym, Art thou Joab? And he answeride, Y am. To whom sche spak thus, Here thou the wordis of thin handmayde. Which Joab answeride, Y here.

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

18 And eft sche seide, A word was seid in eld prouerbe, Thei that axen, axe in Habela; and so thei profitiden.

Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter.

19 Whethir Y am not, that answere treuthe to Israel? and sekist thou to distrie a citee, and to distrie a modir citee in Israel? whi castidist thou doun the eritage of the Lord?

I am amongst those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”

20 And Joab answeride, and seide, Fer be, fer be this fro me; Y `caste not doun, nether Y distrye.

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

21 The thing hath not so it silf; but a man of the hil of Effraym, Siba, sone of Bochri, bi surname, reiside his hond ayens kyng Dauid; bitake ye him aloone, and we schulen go awei fro the citee. And the womman seide to Joab, Lo! his heed schal be sent to thee bi the wal.

The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 Therfor the womman entride to al the puple, and sche spak to hem wiseli; whiche `castiden forth to Joab the heed of Siba, sone of Bochri, gird of. And Joab sownede with a trumpe, and thei departiden fro the citee, ech man in to hise tabernaclis; forsothe Joab turnede ayen to Jerusalem to the kyng.

Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Therfor Joab was on al the oost of Israel; forsothe Benanye, sone of Joiada, was on Cerethi and Ferethi;

Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,

24 forsothe Adhuram was on tributis; forsothe Josaphat, sone of Achilud, was chaunceler; forsothe Siba was scryueyn;

Adoram was over the men subject to forced labour, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,

25 forsothe Sadoch and Abiathar weren preestis;

Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests,

26 forsothe Hira of Hiarith was preest of Dauid.

and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.